DRAMA AS KYLE TURNS ON STYLE
KYLE WOOTTON nodded Notts County into a twoweek break with an important victory as the Magpies and the Daggers defied awful weather to produce a thriller at Meadow Lane.
A match laced with slick passing was decided when the Notts striker glanced home a superb Cal Roberts cross in the 74th minute.
But Daryl McMahon’s men belied their recent poor run by stretching Notts to the limit with goalkeeper Sam Slocombe forced into the last of several excellent saves in added time from substitute George Saunders.
Notts head coach Ian Burchnall said: “We managed the conditions well, created good chances and could have killed the game off earlier. But Dagenham showed they are a good team with a lot of quality.”
Notts impressed with their flowing style from the kick-off but Daggers emerged from their initial shell to give as good as they got in the first half.
New signing Connor Parsons showed Notts fans he could be a gem of an acquisition – going close with a skimming low shot and getting forward keenly.
Ruben Rodrigues saw a curling free-kick parried by Elliot Justham but it was Slocombe who was more strongly tested as he smothered Matt Robinson’s shot after a slick move involving Dean Rance and Mauro Vilhete.
Ironically, with so much creative open play on show, the first two goals both came from corners.
Kyle Cameron illustrated his threat by powering in a header from Matt Palmer’s 36th-minute delivery and Frank Vincent instinctively nodded past Justham.
Daggers suffered a blow when striker Paul McCallum pulled up injured but were level just before half-time when Myles Weston’s dangerous inswinging kick was headed in by Angelo Balanta.
Both sides continued to threaten in the second half with Ro
drigues blazing over from a good position after excellent play by Richard Brindley, before Slocombe had to tip over from Mohammed Sagaf ’s long-range blast.
Defender Callum Reynolds was inches away as Daggers continued to put quality balls into the box.
But it was County’s own prowess from the flank that finally tipped the scales their way.
Callum Roberts had already seen one excellent cross nodded tamely wide by Rodrigues before reproducing his skill for Wootton’s winner. The action flowed from end to end with Slocombe having to deny substitute Ibby Akanbi in the 84th minute.
Slocombe then reserved his best to thwart Saunders and Joel Taylor shot wildly across goal as both sides went for the extra goal with adventure and flair.