Dagenham & Redbridge are on course for a trip to Wembley in the final of the League Two play-offs after brushing aside Morecambe in their first-leg semi-final at Victoria Road this afternoon.

Josh Scott hit four and Paul Benson a brace, the hosts running riot in a one-sided contest.

The home side ripped apart their visitors and are now firm favourites to complete the job in the second leg at Christie Park this coming Thursday, that match surely now just a formality.

It was a superb Dagenham performance, Morecambe finding themselves under the cosh from the first minute. The Shrimps now need a miracle if they are to take their place at Wembley at the end of the month.

For Scott, it was just one of those days when everything he touched finished in the back of the net.

Dagenham got the start they wanted, breaking the deadlock after just four minutes. John Nurse saw his diving header pushed out by Morecambe keeper Barry Roche, but it was straight into the path of Benson, who had the simple task of slotting into an empty net. The Morecambe players, and some sections of the crowd, were waiting for the linesman to raise his flag, but he never did and the goal was allowed to stand.

The Shrimps almost got back on level terms soon after, Gary Hunter seeing Tony Roberts block his shot.

The goal settled any Dagenham nerves and they kept the shell-shocked visitors mostly pinned in their own half.

The hosts looked the hungrier and were winning most of the 50-50 balls.

And it was no surprise when they made it two on 34 minutes. A poor Roche clearance went straight to Scott and he powered forward, before planting the ball past the luckless keeper and in off the far post.

It was almost three just before half-time, Danny Green dragging a shot from the edge of the box inches wide.

Poor Morecambe just wanted the half-time whistle, the Daggers in full control after a dominant opening 45 minutes in which they played some excellent football that was matched by desire and hard work.

Within two minutes of the restart, Dagenham had hit a third. Green was fouled in the box and, though Mark Arber saw his spot kick saved by Roche, the Shrimps could not get the ball away and, in the ensuing scramble, Scott bundled the ball home for his second of the game.

Scott then completed his hat-trick just a few minutes later, heading home a Green corner. The striker was totally unmarked.

Number five came 20 minutes into the second half. A poor headed clearance went straight into the path of Benson and he hooked the ball past Roche.

A few minutes later, Scott had slid in his fourth from an acute angle, the Daggers fans scarcely believing what was happening.

Scott almost scored again, but his powerful drive from the edge of the box with 15 minutes to go finished on the roof of the net, while another shot also fizzed just wide in the 84th minute.

DAGGERS: Roberts; Ogogo, Doe (Uddin 81), Arber, McCrory; Green, Vincelot, Gain (Tejan-Sie 90), Nurse; Scott, Benson. Subs not used: Lewington, Currie, Montgomery, Bingham, Walsh.

Attendance: 4,566.