IT’S SIX OF THE BEST FOR 5-STAR DAGGERS
FIVE-STAR Dagenham & Redbridge showed why they are the National League’s in-form team, running riot in the first half against Wealdstone to further propel their play-off hopes.
Two goals apiece from Matt Robinson and Paul McCallum, along with a deserved goal for the energetic captain Angelo Balanta, secured a sixth win on the bounce for the Daggers.
Balanta drew first blood inside the opening minute as he pounced on a rebound from Mauro Vilhete’s saved effort to smash home past Jake Askew.
Three minutes later, it was two when Robinson and Balanta carved through the home side’s defence, enabling the former to rocket his shot past the stunned Stones keeper.
Wealdstone’s defensive frailties were highlighted again on 21 minutes. Saidou Khan, this time, pulled back to McCallum on the edge of the box and the in-form striker made no mistake.
Stones boss Stuart Maynard responded immediately by replacing Connor Smith with Dan Wishart but it made little difference as within five minutes it was 4-0 – Joseph Jones whipping a ball in the box for McCallum to poke home from close range.
Still the Daggers kept coming and it would’ve been five but for a vital goalline clearance from Joseph Olowu and a superb fingertip save from Askew to deny Khan.
The introduction of Alex Dyer and Danny Parish at half-time sparked the Stones into action at the restart and they almost pulled a goal back when Ashley Charles trapped a high ball brilliantly and then unleashed a powerful effort from the edge of the area, bringing out the best in Elliott Justham.
The home side continued to probe and they went close again on 69 minutes following a neat one-two between Dyer and Jerome Okimo, but the former blazed his effort over the crossbar.
That, however, was about as good as it got for Wealdstone as Dagenham found their feet and finished strongly.
Askew was called upon to produce another excellent save, tipping Vilhete’s swerving effort over the crossbar when it looked set for the top corner, and then excelled again to thwart Tom Smith’s from distance 15 minutes from time.
But Daryl McMahon’s men were rewarded for the endeavour with a fifth goal in stoppage time – Robinson sneaking in behind the Stones’ defence and slotting past Askew.
So, another agonising afternoon for Wealdstone, whose assistant manager Matt Saunders said: “We’re frustrating again, but the story remains the same.
“If you don’t do the basics of tracking runners, you’ll be on the end of these results. Second half showed you can compete when you do those things right.”