HEED HAVE THEIR HOME COMFORTS – AT LAST!

TWO goals in three minutes midway through the first half from Steven Rigg and Tom White saw Gateshead get back to winning ways on home soil. The Tynesiders had lost their last three games at the International Stadium but eased home against a struggling Daggers outfit.

Dagenham started brightly but soon faded as Gateshead took control of the game midway through the first half.

The reality is that Gateshead keeper Aynsley Pears hadn’t a shot to save in the opening 45 minutes and the Heed were two up at home for the first time.

Scott Boden then missed two great chances after the break as Dagenham, the league’s joint second lowest scorers, rarely threatened a comeback.

“It was a much better home performance,” said Heed boss Steve Watson. “We worked all week on what we knew we were lacking.

“What we thought would happen, did happen. We looked up and there was a bank of five and a bank of four to get through. We moved it well and got midfielders beyond. Second half was a bit more difficult but we were a bit unlucky not to win by four or five.”

Gateshead had the lead on 17 minutes when Jack Hunter and White combined in the middle of the park. Scott Barrow’s cross was sent back into the danger area where Rigg bundled the ball from close range.

It was soon two. Hunter’s cross saw White’s shot on the turn deflected past Elliot Justham in the Daggers’ goal. The recalled Hunter put a free header over the bar from Barrow’s cross while, at the other end, Shamir Mullings was high and wide from eight yards. Barrow’s swerving 25-yarder was held by Justham before Mullings put a tame header wide from Elliott Romain’s cross. Rigg then fed Greg Olley, who burst into the right side of the box only for Justham to save. Boden was then left with just the Daggers’ keeper to beat but shot wastefully over the bar when it should have been game over. Mullings had a great chance to get the Londoners back in it from Harry Donovan’s superb cross but his header lacked conviction and was tipped over. Then Mike Williamson’s towering header from Olley’s corner was cleared off the line by Mullings and an unmarked Boden failed to convert Barrow’s inviting cross. “The start was excellent and we should have been a goal up early on and then the first time Gateshead attacked us they scored,” groaned Daggers boss Peter Taylor. “They then got another goal and that left us to chase the game and for 80 minutes I wasn’t very pleased with the way we performed.”