Rochdale 1 Dagenham and Redbridge 0
It was never at any stage pretty but the bottom line is that Gods of Football quite often don't give you what you deserve.Whilst some points have been stolen from Keith Hill's side this season they can't really say that taking all 3 was just desserts for a performance that didn't see them find the target with a shot until well into time added on at the end of the game.
Newboys Dagenham had done their homework and like virtually every other visitor to Spotland this season they set their stall out to stop Dale playing and for long spells though ineffective themselves when going forward they did just that. Chances were few and far between at either end with neither goalkeeper called into serious action and when what was the deciding goal arrived that came courtesy of an own goal.
The game was scrappy and disjointed throughout and most talking points came via some quite infuriating decisions from the officials-as early as the 1st minute an Adam Rundle shot clearly ricocheted off a defender and despite the visitors clearly moving back expecting a corner Mr Foster pointed for a goal kick to set the scene for his afternoons work.
After 35 minutes after a Dave Parkins shot deflected awkwardly into the Dagenham box Scott Taylor was clearly impeded by visiting keeper Tony Roberts as he attempted to turn the ball into the net but Mr Foster ignored loud claims for a penalty.
Four minutes later,perhaps mindful of his earlier error, Mr Foster then disallowed what looked like a perfectly good goal by Dave Rainford for an infringement that few if any of those present saw, as the Dale defence failed to deal with a right wing corner.
The home side did liven up with the introduction 7 minutes after the break of Adam LeFondre and Kallum Higginbotham and went ahead on 59 minutes. Adam Rundle produced a right footed cross from wide on the left that visiting keeper Danny Foster in attempting to head clear only successed in skimming the ball beyond the outstretched dive of his keeper.
Forced to come out and play the visitors made 3 changes themselves and made a couple of half decent chances for Paul Benson and Ben Strevens neither of which troubled James Spencer and in time added on Glenn Murray saw his effort on the run go narrowly wide and Dave Perkins, with his sides first legitimate on target effort forced Roberts into a save from the edge of the penalty area.
As Keith Hill always says this is a results business and the important thing is always 3 points. If you can get that and couple it with a clean sheeet it makes for a decent days work but the worry ahead of Tuesdays visit by Stockport County is that 2 more players appear to have added their name to the injured list with Marcus Holness limping out of the game on 70 minutes and Adam Rundle appearing to damage his groin/thigh in the dying seconds.
