National League: Dagenham & Redbridge 0 Leyton Orient 0

Dagenham & Redbridge and Leyton Orient had to settle for a share of the spoils to kick start 2018 following a 0-0 draw at Victoria Road.

An end-to-end National League encounter finished goalless with neither side earning the east London bragging rights on New Years Day.

John Still made one change for the match with Mason Bloomfield being rewarded for his late equaliser against Ebbsfleet United with a start in place of Michael Cheek.

While, Justin Edinburgh was forced to make two changes as Bondz N’Gala was replaced by Dan Happe due to suspension and Josh Koroma came in for the injured Jobi McAnuff.

There was an early chance in the first minute for the O’s as Koroma threaded the ball out wide to captain David Mooney who tried to find Macauley Bonne in the box, but the forward couldn’t connect.

Three minutes later the visitors came close again as picked out youngster Josh Koroma who flicked the ball up in the air and tried to lob Mark Cousins, but the keeper tipped it over the bar for a corner.

Daggers hit back with a chance of their own as Fejiri Okenabirhie gets a touch at the near post but his effort is well held by Dean Brill after Sam Ling picked the attacker out with a long throw in the fifth minute.

The opening ten minutes were end-to-end and Orient attacked through former Dagger Joe Widdowson but the hosts managed to clear it out to midfielder Matt Robinson, but his cross went out for a goal kick.

A minute later Sam Ling raced down the flank to whip the ball in from the right just missing the head of Okenabirhie and falling for Danny Sparkes at the back post but his shot was comfortably held by Brill.

Howell collected a pass from Andre Boucaud 25-yards from goal and drilled a shot high over the bar in the 22nd minute.

O’s pushed back as captain Mooney controlled the ball well and found Craig Clay who looked to put it back through to Mooney, but Robson made a superb interception in the 31st minute.

Straight back down the other end Ling found himself on the edge of the box and drove a shot goal bound but Brill managed to keep hold of it.

In the 34th minute Dayton’s delivery was excellent and Mooney, Bonne and Coulson were all close to it, but Ling cleared it up the pitch.

O’s defender Coulson came to the rescue and cleared it for a corner as Howell picked out Bloomfield in the 37th minute.

Five minutes later Daggers had a golden chance as Bloomfield got up and headed straight at Brill who pushed it over the bar from a Ling cross.

The visitors hit back with a minute left in the first-half as Bonne and Clay linked up on the edge of the box, before Clay rifled a shot, which was pushed over the bar by Cousins.

Edinburgh’s men came out for the second-half with some real fire in their eyes and two minutes in they almost found themselves in the lead as a great cross from Widdowson found Mooney who connected with a header but it was kept out by Cousins.

A minute later Bonne found Koroma and he set up the forward, but he fired over under pressure from Ling.

The next ten minutes were end-to-end with no real chances for either side but plenty of action with the hosts making three substitutions to try generating some more attack.

O’s youngster Koroma tracked back and made a vital tackle on substitute Morgan Ferrier in the 65th minute after defender Happe gave it away.

Ferrier cut inside from the right and was denied by a superb challenge from Widdowson before Lokko struck a shot from distance but it was held by Brill in the 73rd minute.

A minute later Dayton cut the ball back for Bonne and his shot is deflected behind for a corner.

Both sides pressed hard to try find the match winner in the final 15 minutes but luck was with neither outfit.

Daggers went so close in the final minute as Ferrier got away from Happe and cut back for Okenabirhie, but he blasted over from 12-yards.

Still will look to get back to winning ways on Saturday when Hartlepool United visit Victoria Road while O’s will aim to get some type of revenge over Boreham Wood this coming weekend.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Cousins; Ling, Lokko, Robson, Howells; Robinson, Boucaud; Howell (Whitely 62), Sparkes (Ferrier 62), Okenabirhie; Bloomfield (Cheek 57).

Unused subs: Moore and Doe.

Leyton Orient: Brill; Caprice, Happe, Coulson, Widdowson; Clay, Lawless; Dayton, Koroma; Mooney (Harrold 74), Bonne.

Unused subs: Grainger, Sendles-White, Moncur, Dalby.

Attendance: 3,144 (1,235 Leyton Orient supporters).