BURCHNALL IS BEAMING AT MAGPIES COMEBACK
BUOYANT Ian Burchnall hailed his Notts County side’s resilience as they marched into the National League play-off places after sealing a comeback victory at Dagenham & Redbridge.
The Magpies were on the back foot after Junior Morias gave the Daggers an early lead, but an Alex Lacey header and Will Wright own goal allowed the visitors to get back to winning ways.
Burchnall was keen to highlight an impressive defensive display as Dagenham’s constant pressure failed to pay off late on.
The Notts boss said: “I’m so pleased for the players and it was an example of real team spirit.
“In the last 20 minutes or so, when Dagenham threw everything at us, we showed unbelievable resilience.
“Overall, it was a fantastic display from the lads. I’m as pleased about the way we defended in the back-end of the game as the quality we showed in the first half.”
The hosts caught Notts cold as they went ahead inside the opening six minutes. Morias latched onto Mo Sagaf ’s long ball over the top and, having beaten the visitors’ offside trap, showed great composure to hold off Richard Brindley and coolly slot past Vitezslav Jaros.
Notts passed up a golden opportunity to find an equaliser when Frank Vincent raced through on goal. Although his delicate dink beat the onrushing Elliot Justham, it went inches wide of the post and evaded Kairo Mitchell at full stretch.
The dangerous Morias nearly made the Magpies pay as he tried his luck from 20 yards out but with Jaros rooted to the spot, his curling effort clattered against the crossbar.
However, Burchnall’s charges responded with a leveller just before the halfhour mark as Lacey nodded a corner home, giving Justham no chance.
The clash was turned on its head on 64 minutes as Wright could only turn a Jayden Richardson centre into his own net after the right wing-back had found a way beyond Myles Weston.
Notts were handed a huge let-off moments later when Paul McCallum nodded a looping Weston cross over the top from close range.
The Daggers upped the ante but although substitutes Mauro Vilhete and Angelo Balanta went close, Notts held firm to clinch all three points.
Dagenham chief Daryl McMahon felt his side were hard done by as their threematch winning run in the National League came to an end.
“We had all of the major opportunities in the first half and were totally dominant after the break,” he said. “Sometimes you’re left scratching your head trying to work out how you didn’t get anything out of the game. I thought the boys were terrific.”