Vanarama National League: Boreham Wood 1 (Balanta 53) Dagenham & Redbridge 0

Peter Taylor’s first Vanarama National League game in charge of Dagenham & Redbridge ended in a 1-0 defeat at Boreham Wood.

The first half was not one that will live long in the memory, with neither side able to register a shot on target in blistering heat.

Angelo Balanta fired the hosts ahead early in the second half, while the Essex club ended with 10 men after Goodliffe saw red late on.

Daggers handed full debuts to summer signings Gavin Hoyte, Harry Phipps and Ollie Harfield, while loanees Goodliffe, Will Wright and Harry Donovan were included from the off.

Alex Davey and Lamar Reynolds, both arrivals during the summer, were named on the bench after sufficiently recovering from knocks sustained during pre-season.

With skipper Ben Nunn absent for the opening game of the season, vice-captain Matt Robinson wore the armband at Meadow Park.

Neither side could manage a shot on goal in the opening 45 minutes, though Wright flashed a header wide following a Gavin Hoyte cross in stoppage time at the end of the half.

Less than a minute later, former Daggers defender Femi Ilesanmi was inches away from putting the hosts ahead with a piledriver from 25 yards, but the sides went into the break goalless.

Just five minutes into the second half, though, visiting custodian Elliot Justham was finally called into action, tipping a Keiran Murtagh effort behind for a corner which was cleared.

Wood, however, maintained their pressure and took the lead in the 53rd minute through Angelo Balanta, who turned in a ball from Ricky Shakes at the near post.

Luke Garrard’s men could have added to their lead 13 minutes later, but David Stephens could only nod a Murtagh corner from the right over the bar.

Daggers almost drew level in the 68th minute when Wright shot on the turn from the edge of the box, but home stopper Ryan Huddart was behind the effort.

That seemed to give the Victoria Road side some inspiration, with a deflected effort from substitute Lamar Reynolds forcing Huddart into action again three minutes later.

Reynolds was looking lively and delivered a brilliant free-kick from the left with 13 minutes remaining, but no teammate could got on the end of it when any touch would surely have led to a goal.

Daggers suffered a huge blow in the 89th minute when defender Goodliffe was dismissed for a poor foul on Murtagh.

Wood could have doubled their lead in stoppage time at the end of the second half, but Justham was at full stretch to keep out a curling effort from Shakes.

That was the last real moment of action in the game, and Daggers will look for a better result when they host Maidstone United on Tuesday night.

Wood (3-4-3): Huddart; Stephens, Champion, Parry; Woodards, Ricketts, Murtagh, Ilesanmi; Shakes, Ash (Thomas 65), Balanta.

Subs: Fyfield, Jeffers, Smith, Clifford.

Daggers (4-3-3): Justham; Hoyte, Goodliffe, Wright, Gordon; Robinson, Phipps (Blancfield 69), Donovan; Kandi, Romain, Harfield (Reynolds 61).

Subs: Moore (GK), Davey, Bonds.

Sent off: Goodliffe 89 (excessive force).

Referee: Carl Brook.

Attendance: 833 (including 315 Daggers fans).