COCA-COLA LEAGUE TWO Dagenham & Redbridge 0 Morecambe 2 TWO goals in as many first half minutes condemned Dagenham & Redbridge to their fourth successive home defeat on Saturday, writes MIKE SIMMONDS. To make matters worse, it was also the fourth game at

COCA-COLA LEAGUE TWO

Dagenham & Redbridge 0 Morecambe 2

TWO goals in as many first half minutes condemned Dagenham & Redbridge to their fourth successive home defeat on Saturday, writes MIKE SIMMONDS.

To make matters worse, it was also the fourth game at Victoria Road that Daggers have failed to score in, as without leading scorer Paul Benson in the side, they look a shadow of the team who were finding the net for fun earlier in the season.

Boss John Still made two changes to the side beaten 3-0 by Lincoln on Tuesday night with on-loan Jamie Guy making his first start and Solomon Taiwo also in for the suspended Glen Southam and dropped Jon Nurse.

As in midweek though, there was precious little oomph about Daggers play in the opening stages, as visitors Morecambe had the betters of possession.

They were ahead after 16 minutes when Henry McStay swung in a free kick and Diarmuid O'Carroll leapt above a statuesque home defence to head home.

It got better for the Shrimpers within moments, as Stewart Drummond volleyed past Tony Roberts via a deflection, leaving Daggers with it all to do.

Things could have been even worse as Drummond and Michael Twiss both put efforts over, as the home side looked truly timid in their own surroundings.

The only chance of note for Still's side came just before the break when Guy played Doug Loft in, but the Brighton midfielder's effort comically went off for a throw-in, something that summed up Daggers performance perfectly.

Thankfully for the majority of the 1,403 that turned up, the hosts did improve in the second period and there were ironic cheers when their team finally had a shot on target as Guy turned well to fire straight at Barry Roche.

Roche was to be a busy man in the second half as he palmed a dangerous corner away, before Guy showed superb trickery to reach the by-line and find Ritchie, whose fierce drive was excellently saved by Roche.

The former Forest keeper also blocked at the feet of Ben Strevens, but fellow custodian Tony Roberts was also in fine form, rushing out to save from Wayne Curtis, after the striker had easily beaten Magnus Okuonghae.

Daggers kept on pushing, and there was a definite improvement in their play, as they bombed forward whenever possible, and Scott Griffiths forced another good block from Roche, before the keeper turned away Danny Foster's diving header.

Roberts kept the score to just two though parrying Twiss' late shot, as the hosts were forced to troop off with another home defeat, and thoughts of the play-offs a forgotten dream now.

Daggers: Roberts, Foster, Griffiths, Arber, Okuonghae, Saunders, Loft, Taiwo, Ritchie, Guy, Strevens.

Subs not used: Hogan, Nurse, Uddin, Montgomery, Dean.

Att: 1,403 (inc 80 away).

What did you make of the game on Saturday? Email: sport@ilfordrecorder.co.uk