Title aspirations dealt blow as impressive Daggers dominate for long stretches at EP
COUNTY’S lingering title hopes were dented in a lively 1-1 draw with a superb Dagenham & Redbridge side at Edgeley Park on Tuesday evening.
A run of six successive wins prior to their visit to
Edgeley Park had given Daryl McMahon’s visitors renewed hope of a late play-off push – with both sides requiring three points to keep, respectively, slim title and play-off hopes alive.
Marquee signing Paddy Madden had given County a first-half lead to provide real hope of a late title charge, however the in-form Paul McCallum headed home just five minutes later to restore parity and secure a point which did neither side’s ambitions any real good on the night.
County took to the field amidst intermittent rain showers over Edgeley, with boss Simon Rusk naming a side showing three changes from side which had started in the 4-0 win over Wealdstone eight days prior.
Elliot Newby, Ryan Rydel - handed his first start in County colours and Macauley SouthamHales replaced Sam Minihan, Alex Reid and the injured Tom Walker.
The Hatters should have hosted Dagenham three months prior, only for a positive Covid test to see the clash rescheduled – at that stage, County had just parted ways with former boss Jim Gannon, whilst Dagenham were amid a terrible run of form which saw them hovering around the lower half of the National League table.
However, since then, whilst The Hatters have excelled under Rusk, Dagenham have also recovered under McMahon and now still harbour slim chances of a play-off spot – with striker Paul McCallum leading that charge, with seven goals in his previous six outings before the tie at Edgeley Park.
McCallum’s two early headers flew just wide of Ben Hinchliffe’s far post early on and provided a warning shot to County, who saw chances of their own come and go when John Rooney and James
Jennings both fizzed low efforts wide.
In a battling first-half, Madden then swept home his seventh goal in County colours with a clinical finish from Elliot Newby’s low cross into the box, as The Hatters looked to be narrowing the gap on then-leaders Torquay.
But the in-form visitors responded well to the setback and levelled just before the break, when McCallum nodded home his eighth in seven games after being left unmarked at close-range.
McCallum – a scourge of the Hatters, while playing for Solihull, in the previous season – glanced another header beyond the left upright, after latching on to Will Wright’s assist. And Ash Palmer did likewise at the other end, from a
James Jennings corner on the right.
Leading scorer Alex Reid was introduced for the start of the second half, replacing the injured Madden who had picked up a knock towards the end of the first half. In a blow to The Hatters, it was later revealed that Madden would miss Sunday’s clash with Torquay and potentially the remainder of the campaign owing to the ankle injury.
In truth, it was the visitors who looked more likely to win the game in the second half, with The Daggers playing some free-flowing football and dominating large parts.
With 25 minutes left on the clock, Matt Robinson’s stinging shot clattered against the
Hatters’ crossbar, as the Daggers continued to look dangerous.
At the other end, County captain Liam Hogan went close after cutting in from the right and letting fly with a shot that Justham parried beyond the far upright.
Newby’s low shot was smothered by Justham in front of the right post, and substitute Richie Bennett chipped an effort that cleared the bar, before Hinchliffe brilliantly tipped over Andrew Eleftheriou’s shot in added time to keep honours even and deny Dagenham what may well have been a deserved three points at Edgeley Park.