Bell goal blunts the Daggers
NYAL Bell was the County hero on Saturday, heading home a stoppage time winner as The Hatters deservedly overcame Dagenham & Redbridge 1-0 at Edgeley Park.
With Jim Gannon’s side looking like being frustrated by Peter Taylor’s visitors after a relentless second half showing by the hosts, second half substitute Bell headed home Elliot Osborne’s pinpoint corner in the third minute of added time in front of a jubilant Cheadle End.
The tie was the only National League affair of the afternoon, with the weekend dedicated to FA Cup First Round proper action – and with both The Hatters and The Daggers eliminated in the final qualifying round, the tie was hosted after originally being postponed four weeks prior due to travel issues.
After a disappointing 1-3 reverse at the hands of Woking last weekend at Edgeley Park, boss Gannon opted for two changes to the side which started in the defeat.
Central holding midfield duo Paul Turnbull and Sam Walker dropped to the bench, with the impressive Jordan Keane coming back into the fold to partner alongside Osborne in the centre of the pitch.
Striker Frank Mulhern also earned a recall, although the former Bradford Park Avenue forward was later replaced by Gannon, who was unhappy with Mulhern’s perceived “theatrics” inside the Dagenham penalty area.
Salford duo Tom Walker and Devante Rodney, on loan at Edgeley Park until the New Year, started on each flank and caused no end of problems for former England boss Taylor and his Dagenham side.
Rodney in particular set the tone for an attacking, positive Hatters performance – with Gannon’s changes proving to be key, replacing the solidity of Walker and Turnbull for the mobility and creativity of Keane and Osborne in the centre.
From a Dagenham perspective, lone striker Joe Quigley was the main thorn in County’s side throughout, looking lively in attack and linking up well with a pacy Daggers midfield.
County dominated the opening exchanges before the away side stepped things up and fought their way back into the game in the first half, with Walker and Rodney both testing goalkeeper Elliot Justham from range early on, before Ben Hinchliffe himself was called into action at the other end.
On the half hour mark, just as The Daggers began to take a foothold in proceedings, the previously unneeded Hinchliffe prevented the visitors from taking the lead when he superbly tipped behind Quigley’s goal-bound effort, following a wellworked Daggers corner from the right hand side.
Hinchliffe proceeded to make a number of more routine stops as the half ticked on, before Mulhern fired wide of the near post following a pinpoint Jordan Keane through ball.
Dagenham made it into the half-time break with the scores goalless despite positive spells for both sides before the interval but after the restart, it was all County.
One of the main flashpoints of the afternoon came when Mulhern tumbled to the ground under pressure from Mitch Brundle, and despite the officials waving away Mulhern’s strangled appeal, Gannon reacted angrily to his striker’s perceived “theatrics”.
The former Leeds Utd forward spurned the best opportunity of the game just moments later, somehow contriving to fire Rodney’s excellent cross over the crossbar from close range with the goal gaping - and Gannon hauled the number nine