DAGGERS DENY PROUD TOMMY
PROUD Tommy Widdrington hailed his King’s Lynn Town side after they boosted their survival hopes with a precious point at playoff-chasing Dagenham & Redbridge.
Josh Coulson headed the Linnets into a deserved firsthalf lead, but a stoppage time strike from Paul McCallum ensured the spoils were shared at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Although Dagenham’s leveller came late in the contest, Widdrington was keen to remain upbeat as King’s Lynn moved to within seven points of safety.
He told The NLP: “We’ve got a point more than when we arrived and that’s got to be positive.
“I can’t fault the lads and I think we should have been three or four goals up early on, although they threw the kitchen sink at us at the end.
“We deserved to get something out of the game and, to a man, I am delighted with how we applied ourselves against a team I see as one of the better teams in the division.”
Lynn should have taken the lead when a Manny Onariase error put Michael Clunan in on goal but he could only find the side-netting.
Dagenham goalkeeper Elliot Justham then made a wonderful fingertip save to stop Matt Robinson slicing into the back of his own net as the Linnets continued to apply early pressure.
Lynn deservedly made the breakthrough on 13 minutes when Coulson rose highest to meet a Theo Widdrington corner and direct a thumping header home.
Dagenham were lucky not to give away a penalty – and possibly remain with 11 men on the field – when Onariase dragged the onrushing Gold Omotayo down early in the second period but referee Garreth Rhodes waved the appeals away.
Dagenham should have drawn level when sub Josh Walker’s cutback found Robinson but, from close range, his effort deflected off target.
Walker then did find the net following a quickly-taken throw but after a lengthy spell of confusion, the goal was chalked off due to the hosts being awarded a freekick rather than a throw.
But Dagenham were rewarded for their patience in the fifth minute of stoppage time when McCallum raced onto a loose ball and rounding goalkeeper Paul Jones before firing home.
Daggers chief Daryl McMahon said: “Apart from the first 15 minutes, I thought we were superb in terms of creating opportunities.
“We probably had more chances than against Barnet, when we scored seven. I can only applaud the lads for that.”
Josh Coulson (King’s Lynn)
ATT: 1,457
ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★
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