Rochdale slipped to their first defeat in five matches on Saturday with a 3-1 defeat at Dagenham and Redbridge’s at Victoria Road.
Mistakes saw the Daggers open up a two goal lead, twice against the run of play through Ryan Murphy and Elito, before a dominant Rochdale finally got the goal they deserved through Gary Dicker shortly after the hour mark. Despite a sustained spell of pressure in the closing stages by Rochdale, the home side wrapped up the points in stoppage time as Elito netted his second of the afternoon.
There were two changes to the eleven who lined up against Northampton Town midweek as Jamie Allen and George Donnelly were handed a start ahead of Bastien Hery and Graham Cummins who dropped to the bench.
Rochdale had found themselves behind in their last two matches and again went a goal down on Saturday after Dagenham and Redbridge opened the scoring against the run of play, in what a fiery first half affair at Victoria Road, but there was to be no stoppage time come backs this weekend.
Dale had been on top during the early exchanges and had peppered the Daggers goal, including an effort inside the first twenty seconds of the match from Jamie Allen. George Donnelly sent the youngster through one on one with ‘keeper Chis Lewington immediately after kick off, but the diminutive midfielder’s lofted effort went up and over the bar. So close!
And it was on nine minutes that the home side opened the scoring against the run of play after miscommunication from Michael Rose and Gary Dicker allowed Dagenham in on goal.
Rose and Dicker left the ball for each other and it was picked up by Rhys Murphy, who ran through on goal, and struck it past Lillis from the edge of the area.
GOAL: DAGENHAM AND REDBRIDGE 1-0 Rochdale (Murphy, 9)
After the goal, Rochdale continued in the same vein as they started the match and applied the pressure on the Daggers goal, leaving Josh Lillis as a spectator for much of the half.
Vincenti, Allen, Lund and Donnelly all had chances as Dale dominated but couldn’t convert, before substitute Graham Cummins had an effort cleared off the line.
The frontman had been introduced onto the field of play shortly after the half hour at the expense of the injured Donnelly, and within five minutes of joining the action he was denied on the on the line by Jack Connors who sent Cummins’ header, which looked destined for the top corner, up and over the bar.
HT: Dagenham and Redbridge 1-0 Rochdale
There were no changes at the interval for Dale, but the second substitution of the match followed three minutes after the re-start with Rafferty, who had received a first half yellow card, making way for Done.
Rochdale started the half in a lively fashion and a minute before the substitution, Cummins was denied by Lewington. The onloan Preston North End striker did well to stay onside after racing onto a through ball from Henderson, but was kept out by the ‘keeper who turned his effort round the upright.
As seen in the first half, Dale were on top during the opening exchanges, but again conceded against the run of play after confusion surrounding whether or not Dagenham had a player offside.
Jack O’Connell stopped in his tracks expecting an offside flag, but Elito ran through on goal from an onside position and lifted the ball up and over a stranded Lillis from 18 yards.
GOAL: DAGENHAM AND REDBRIDGE 2-0 Rochdale (Elito, 51)
The never say die attitude which has been prevalent in the Dale side this season was again on show as they continued to play football in the right manner and apply pressure on the Dagenham goal.
And on 62 minutes Rochdale finally got the goal they deserved, albeit in a scrappy fashion.
Substitute Tutte, who had replaced Vincenti on 54 minutes, crossed the ball into a packed box, and after several blocked attempts on goal, Gary Dicker was the one who got a touch on it to send it over the line by the smallest of margins before it was hooked away.
GOAL: Dagenham and Redbridge 2-1 ROCHDALE (Dicker, 63)
Rochdale enjoyed the better of the opportunities after the goal and continued to pound the Daggers goal with a sustained spell of pressure.
Dale battered the Dagenham goal, but to no avail and in stoppage time they had their best chance to take a point from the game after the side were awarded a free-kick 20 yards from goal in a central position. It was perfect distance for Rose and he came agonisingly close as his set piece dipped over the bar.
But despite every effort to find a late equaliser, Dagenham’s Elito netted in stoppage time to ensure three points for the home side.
It finished Dagenham and Redbridge 3, Rochdale 1.