DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE slipped to their first defeat of the season when they were well beaten by Notts County on Saturday. County, boasting the likes of Lee Hughes, Karl Hawley and Ben Davies, are a class act at this level, and it was always going to repres

COCA-COLA LEAGUE TWO

Notts County 3 Daggers 0

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE slipped to their first defeat of the season when they were well beaten by Notts County on Saturday.

County, boasting the likes of Lee Hughes, Karl Hawley and Ben Davies, are a class act at this level, and it was always going to represent the visitors toughest test in the league to date.

They started well, with Paul Benson firing wide of the target, and Will Antwi also putting his effort over the bar.

But County, full of confidence already this season, were soon in their stride and it took some desperate defending to keep them level.

Daggers' backline was finally breached though, twice in the closing five minutes before the break.

First, Davies swung over a free kick from the left flank and Hughes got above the defence to find the net with a downward header.

It was two moments later, with Hughes again the instigator.

He broke clear on the right and delivered a tantalising low ball into the box, which was slid home by the unmarked Hawley.

If Daggers were to find a way back into the game, then it was imperative they netted swiftly after the interval, but County were on top and they weren't about to take their foot off the gas.

They wrapped up the game on 61 minutes too, as Hughes turned well from a throw-in and found Johnnie Jackson, who chested the ball down and dinked it over the advancing Tony Roberts.

John Still's side almost pulled back a consolation, after the manager threw on Jon Nurse and Wesley Thomas.

It was Nurse who created the opportunity, with some intervention on the right flank and his cross was met at full stretch by Thomas, but the ball rebounded off the post and was somehow kept out by the covering County defenders

Daggers: Roberts, Doe, Griffiths, Arber, Antwi, Green (Nurse 75), Taiwo, Thurgood, Gain, Benson, Scott (Thomas 75).

Subs not used: Lewington, Ogogo, Uddin, Montgomery, Bingham.

Att: 6,562 (inc 182 away).