DAGGERS LAUD NEW HERO REID
DELIGHTED Daryl McMahon hailed his new front pairing of Alex Reid and Chike Kandi after Dagenham & Redbridge secured a first win in 10 league matches against 10-man Notts County.
Reid made an instant impression, scoring twice on debut following his loan move from Stevenage to hand McMahon his first league success as Daggers boss.
The win lifts his side two points clear of the relegation zone, while Notts County, who had Michael Doyle sent off for a second bookable offence, dropped to seventh.
“It’s great for Alex to get two goals on his debut,” said McMahon. “I thought he and Kandi were excellent today. They ran the channels well and worked their two centrehalfs well.
“They worked really well together and if you work that hard you usually get your rewards.
“It was a solid performance from us and I’m delighted to get a clean sheet.”
It was two inspired goalkeepers who made sure a thrilling first half ended goalless. Home stopper Elliot Justham was the first to excel, racing from goal to deny Kristian Dennis when clean through with just eight minutes on the clock.
At the other end, Ross Fitzsimons, only recalled from a loan spell at Chesterfield on Friday because of an injury to Sam Slocombe, kept Liam Gordon’s effort out with his feet before tipping a Mitch Brundle header over the bar.
Justham, though, retook centre stage when he parried debutant Callum Roberts’ effort from close range, recovering to claw the ball behind as Dennis closed in.
If that was the save of the half, Brundle was guilty of the miss of the first 45, somehow failing to connect with Reid’s cross when just a yard out.
The hosts finally made the breakthrough just after the hour, Reid arriving unmarked to stab home Sam Deering’s right-wing corner.
Doyle’s red card for a trip on Deering put the Daggers in firm control and it wasn’t long before the crucial second goal arrived – Fitzsimons spilling Brundle’s shot and Reid followed up to score.
County boss Neal Ardley was philosophical in defeat, recognising his team had come up against an inspired keeper. He said: “He had a great game, didn’t he? There’s no point in pushing the panic button. We’ve got good forward players, we just want the boys to be more ruthless and take more risks in the final third.”