Daggers derailed by Morecambe

DAGENHAM and Redbridge slumped to a fourth successive home defeat after Morecambe scored two goals in two first half minutes to kill off the hosts.

The match went with the form book as the Daggers, winless in five before kick-off and without a goal in four at Victoria Road, were undone by strikes from Diarmuid O'Carroll and Steward Drummond.

Dagenham barely had time to collect themselves after the shock of O'Carroll's opener before they were trudging back to the halfway line when Drummond fired in a second a minute later.

The first came as a result of a Henry McStay set-piece and a collective failure by the home side's defence to pick up their men in the box, allowing O'Carroll to nod the ball in off the inside of the post.

Drummond then took the ball calmly on his chest after Daggers failed to clear their lines, before unleashing a fierce left-footed volley that took a slight deflection on its way into the net.

Having failed to get out of the blocks for the first half hour, the Daggers began to look more threatening as the game wore on. The tireless Jamie Guy, making his first start for the club, did well to set up Doug Loft, only for the midfielder to skew his shot horribly wide as he bore down on goal.

Guy, clearly looking to impress, was doing just that, as he first saw his shot saved by Morecambe keeper Barry Roche before some excellent work along the by-line enabled him to pull back for the advancing Matt Ritchie, but his powerful shot drew a superb diving stop from Roche.

The hosts surged forward but it was Morecambe who came closest to scoring, as Wayne Curtis was denied by Roberts after bundling his way through several challenges.

Another rasping drive from Scott Griffiths was kept out by the considerable frame of Roche, as the visitors held out for all three points.