Dagenham and Redbridge 1 Rochdale 1

Dale picked up their first point of 2008 from a hard fought first trip to Victoria Road in conditions that were to say the least less than conducive to the sort of flowing football that we have become used to from Keith's young braves.

Kallum Higginbotham gave his side the lead midway through the first half but they were pegged back within 10 minutes in a game of contrasting styles. Fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the League the home side was very big and direct whilst Dale as we know try to pass the ball around and in truth by the end a share of the spoils was a fair outcome.

The manager elected to go back to his side, pre the M62 fiasco on Tuesday, with Rory McArdle, Nathan Stanton and Ben Muirhead returning to the side and having warmed up on a hard pitch in bright sunshine the team and their opponents were then met ,right on the opening whistle ,with a hail storm of almost Antartic proportions. Throughout the game there was a heavy breeze blowing and for long peiods there was standing water in some areas of the pitch-all in all less than ideal  for the travelling 488 exposed as they were in an open end and it certainly mustn't have felt like spring!

The home side seemed to adapt to the conditions better in the early stages with Peter Gain forcing a smart save out of Tommy Lee on 15 minutes and Jon Nurse firing over from close range after a long throw had grazed the top of Mcardle's head. Lee then had to tip over a swirling Gain lob as Dagenham looked to take the initiative and get the win that would go a long way towards taking them to safety.

The first goal when it came  on 28 minutes,was against the run of play and for Dale was unusually route 1. Higginbotham taking full advantage as the home defence allowed a Lee punt to bounce and firing home an unstopppable half volley from the edge of the box.

Unfortunately that lead would not last as defender Anwar Uddin pressed towards the penalty area after the ball had reared up into the face of Higginbotham. Uddin drew the visiting defence before finding leading scorer Ben Strevens who fired home from 15 yards just 6 minutes later.

Just before the break Glenn Southam misssed a great opportunity as Lee came for a cross that he couldnt reach and watched in horror as the ball squirmed from his grasp-fortunately though Southam missed the target from 12 yards.

Early in the 2nd period Dale lost Adam Rundle after an accidental clash of heads with Shane Huke. The in form winger left the field with a very large "egg" on his forehead and on the evidence of it is unlikely to feature when Dale play their next fixture on Tuesday evening against Barnet.

If the first half was shaded by the home side the remainder of the game saw Dale in control and like their hosts they would be left to rue missed opportunities.

On 48 and 53 minutes Rene Howe saw one effort fly just over and one saved by dale fans favourite Tony Roberts in the Dagenham goal, on 55 minutes skipper Gary Jones fired wide when he might have done better and just before it substitute Adam Le Fondre was clearly pushed in the box only for referee East to wave away their protests. 

Lee was then forced into another smart save as Paul Benson forced his way into the Dale box before Higginbotham almost added a picture book second  on 63 minutes, when he fired over having done all the hard work. Another substitute Chris Dagnall was fed in by Dave Perkins but saw his left footed effort deflected wide by Roberts and then brilliantly beat 3 defenders on the edge of the box before forcing another decent save out of the vetaran keeper just after the hour.

On balance a draw was a fair result and though those sides above Dale did win those behind them, Wycombe and Chesterfield ,could only maintain the status quo so the Play off place remains in tact and the dreams of Wembley can continue.

Next stop Spotland on Tuesday. Be there