Daggers do it for birthday boy Currie
DAGENHAM assistant manager Darren Currie turned 40 on Saturday and his birthday wish came true as his team beat Bury.
Second-half goals from new loan signing Alex Jakubiak and striker Jamie Cureton ensured the three points would return to east London and Currie believed the Daggers took their chances when they came along.
He said:“The lads sang me ‘Happy Birthday’ in the changing room beforehand and all I asked for was the three points or a performance.We’ve got both of them so I’m really pleased.
“Bury are a good side and they pinned us back a bit, they probably had the better of the first half, but we were away from home against a team that are going well, not in great form, but they’re still a good side.
“The chances were few and far between and when they come along, you have to make them count.”
The first half was a dull affair with neither team creating many noteworthy chances but the home side did have the ball in the back of the net in the 33rd minute, though Danny Rose was ruled offside.
Bury created a chance within three minutes of the restart but Danny Nardiello’s header cannoned off the bar before Craig Jones lofted a header onto the roof of the net.
Dagenham substitute Jakubiak opened the scoring in the 55th minute when he tapped in from close range after Ayo Obileye headed back into the area from a deep free-kick.
A second goal from the home side was chalked off three minutes later when Nicky Adams was adjudged to have been in front of the last Dagenham defender.
The Shakers continued to throw bodies forwards but it was the away side who added their second in the 74th minute. Cureton received the ball inside the penalty area, turned his marker and fired beyond Rob Lainton.
Bury continued to push forwards in search of a comeback, but were unable to find their way past the brick wall that was the Dagenham defence. Nathan Cameron came closest late on when his header hit the post.
Bury boss David Flitcroft was disappointed with the defeat and believed his side didn’t create enough quality chances with some players ‘snatching’ at the opportunities that came their way.
“On reflection, our level of quality was poor in terms of creating chances and on the final one, we made the wrong decisions,” he said.“It has cost us of late when we’re not finishing off teams when we’re on top.
“We’re trying to create chances, but there is trying and there is doing, and we’ve got to get back to doing.
“That one moment that is dead natural to you as a striker is just becoming a little bit tense.”