RAMPANT REES FIRES SEVEN-UP DAGGERS
JOSH RESS scored a brilliant second-half hat-trick as Dagenham & Redbridge went goal crazy at Victoria Road.
The midfielder’s treble capped a memorable afternoon for the Daggers as first-half goals from Jack Hill, Frank Vincent and Inih Effiong put Ben Strevens’ men in dreamland.
Effiong netted his second goal within 40 seconds of the restart and after Jacob Roddy had pulled a goal back for the National League basement boys, Rees wrapped it up with a top treble.
Daggers’ first-team coach Lewis Young said: “I go straight to the negative and I am really disappointed the way we conceded.
“We have seen too many games where we have dominated and not got three points but the manner of the victory was outstanding.”
Struggling City were forced into making six changes due to injury and it wasn’t long before they were playing catch-up.
Rees gave notice of his intentions by firing an effort wildly over the first three minutes but Dagenham weren’t to be denied for long – Hill converting Effiong’s cross which evaded everyone bar the winger at the back post.
Effiong has netted four times in his last five games and caused constant problems to City’s 17-yearold debutant Phil Croker in the heart of the Hoops’ backline.
Marcin Brzozowksi made an instinctive save from a corner as the Daggers were still yet to be tested. And on 36 minutes of keeping the score at a minimum, Vincent
crackled a shot from distance to double the lead.
With a third being scored soon after and with half-time approaching, Effiong again raced on to a through-ball and after being pushed wide, managed to turn towards goal and hit a fierce, whipped shot that clipped the crossbar on the way in.
Effiong then made it 4-0 just 40 seconds into the second half, in a hectic opening five second-half minutes – the striker tucking his shot under Brzozowksi.
Roddy pulled a goal back for City with their first effort on target, nestling a header into the bottom corner.
But that only served in poking the bear as less than 60 seconds later, Effiong added to his brace with his second assist, finding the onrushing Rees, who made it 5-1.
After a wild opening in the second-half, it took 17 minutes for Rees to get his second, striking an acrobatc overhead kick that looped over Brzozowksi and into the net.
City’s goalkeeper could do little to deny any of the seven goals with Rees firing a loose ball to add more problems for Ross Jenkins, with his side sitting seven points adrift from safety at the foot of the table.
“We weren’t favourites to get promoted last season, and we have managed to work wonders here and we are going to stick to that,” the shell-shocked Hoops boss said. STAR MAN: Josh Rees (Dagenham) ATT: 1,316 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Alan Dale