DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE have been dealt a huge blow to their promotion hopes with the news that leading scorer Paul Benson is out for up to two months with a knee injury, writes MIKE SIMMONDS. Benson has netted 16 times this season, forming a lethal partner

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE have been dealt a huge blow to their promotion hopes with the news that leading scorer Paul Benson is out for up to two months with a knee injury," writes MIKE SIMMONDS.

Benson has netted 16 times this season, forming a lethal partnership with Ben Strevens, and Daggers assistant manager Terry Harris admitted his absence will be felt by the side.

"Paul will have an operation on a knee problem, it has to be done, so he'll do it and then concentrate on his rehab," said Harris, who also had fitness doubts over goalkeeper Tony Roberts and striker Mark Nwokeji for Tuesday's clash with Wycombe.

"Tony picked up a dead leg which we will pack in ice and see how it improves, while Mark got a knock in training, but we have got Wes Thomas back now though."

Despite missing Benson for Saturday's visit of Luton, Daggers still had enough in their lock to defeat the bottom side 2-1, and Harris felt it was a gritty performance.

"It was an uncomfortable 90 minutes," he said. "There were lots of fouls in the game and we will play better and get nothing out of it.

"We didn't play too well, but we worked hard, Luton are fighting for their lives and made it difficult.

"I thought Jon Nurse came in up front and was excellent, he held the ball up well and gained a number of fouls on him."

Right back Danny Foster scored both goals, his first strikes of the season, though Harris wasn't quite sure what the defender was doing in the opposition's penalty box!

"I don't know what he was doing up there, I think he was still coming back from a previous attack," he smiled.

"He doesn't get many, but well done to him."

Meanwhile, Luton boss Mick Harford was seething at the final outcome and felt his side deserved something out of the game.

"The result was an injustice," he said.

"Luton as a football club, the players and me as a manager are not getting the breaks at the moment.

"The right back turned up twice and scored which is quite bizarre to me, they were getting too many balls into the penalty area for my liking.

"We're leaking too many goals, it has been ongoing this season and people have to take responsibility for it - we've had a chat about it and it can't happen again.

"The fans again turned out in their numbers, but the players gave 100 per cent.

"It was one of those days where we couldn't finish our chances and you normally don't get that many chances in games."'