Dagenham & Redbridge 1 Macclesfield Town 0: Morgan Ferrier fires Daggers to success over Silkmen

Morgan Ferrier celebrates scoring for Dagenham & Redbridge (pic: David Simpson/TGS Photo) ©TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468

Vanarama National League: Dagenham & Redbridge 1 (Ferrier 50) Macclesfield Town 0

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Morgan Ferrier’s second-half strike fired Dagenham & Redbridge to a 1-0 success at home to Macclesfield Town in the National League.

After a quiet opening quarter of an hour, the first half seemed to burst into life with plenty of chances for both sides, but neither could find a breakthrough.

Ferrier netted early in the second half to give John Still’s men the ascendancy, and the Essex club were able to see the game out with little incident.

Daggers made just one change from Saturday’s 1-0 loss at home to Wrexham, with Charlee Adams replacing the suspended Kevin Lokko.

It was a move that saw the Essex club revert to a 4-2-3-1, having started their past three matches with a 3-5-2.

Adams lined up in the heart of midfield alongside Andre Boucaud, with Luke Howell pushed forward into the hole behind striker Michael Cheek.

Despite being at home, Daggers were forced to play in their white change strip after Macclesfield brought their red and black away kit with them from Cheshire.

Among the interested spectators at Victoria Road to watch the game was former Daggers boss Garry Hill.

After a fairly dull opening, a whipped ball from the right by Silkmen winger Elliott Durrell narrowly missed the head of Scott Wilson in the 18th minute.

A minute later, Daggers attacker Corey Whitely produced the first shot on target, but fired straight at keeper Sam Ramsbottom from 25 yards.

In the 23rd minute, Town forward Wilson was found in the box, and after being closed down swiftly by Daggers stopper Mark Cousins, checked back on himself to fashion room for a shot.

When Wilson did fire an effort away, though, it was blocked by home skipper Scott Doe and the Essex side cleared their lines.

The Silkmen continued to press and nearly took the lead from a well-worked corner in the 26th minute, but Danny Whittaker’s shot was blocked on the line by Craig Robson.

Whittaker’s midfield partner Danny Whitehead was next to go close, firing straight at Cousins from 20 yards following a swift counter a minute later.

With 15 minutes left in the half, Ferrier showed good strength to burst into the box, but when the time came to shoot, the ball got stuck under his feet and he was unable to get a telling shot away.

Ferrier broke clear again a minute later, this time lashing a shot over the bar from a wide position on the left flank.

In a near carbon copy in the 32nd minute, the ex-Boreham Wood man went event closer, flashing just inches over the bar from a tight angle.

Macclesfield were still posing a threat, especially on the break, with Koby Arthur testing Cousins from distance four minutes later.

In stoppage time at the end of the first half, Daggers arguably missed the chance of the opening period.

A corner from the left by Whitely travelled all the way to Robson at the back post, but his effort was blocked by Ramsbottom, with the half time whistle blowing immediately after.

Three minutes after the restart, Howell flashed a ball across the face of goal, but Daggers forward Michael Cheek was unable to get a telling touch.

However, just two minutes later, Daggers hit the front through Ferrier, who netted his first goal since September 2.

After being played in by Adams, the forward showed great composure to take the ball past Ramsbottom before firing into the empty net.

Perhaps surprisingly, the goal seemed to quieten the game, with both teams struggling to create much in the way of chances in the minutes that followed.

There was a late blow for Daggers as Adams, who looked impressive in midfield, went off in stoppage time clutching his hamstring and was replaced by Matt Robinson.

There was also late scare with Whitehead testing Cousins from distance with the final kick of the match, but the Daggers stopper was well behind the effort.

It was a much-needed win for Daggers, who will look for consecutive triumphs in the league when they visit Maidenhead United on Saturday/

Daggers (4-2-3-1): Cousins; Ling, Doe, Robson, Howells; Adams (Robinson 90+3), Boucaud; Whitely (Okenabirhie 67), Howell, Ferrier; Cheek (Bloomfield 70).

Subs: Moore (GK), N’Gala.

Macclesfield (4-3-3): Ramsbottom; Kennedy, Lowe, Pilkington, Fitzpatrick; Lloyd, Whitehead, Whittaker; Durrell, Wilson (Marsh 73), Arthur (Toure 75).

Subs: Baba, Hancock, Burgess.

Referee: David Rock.

Attendance: 1,185 (including 59 Macclesfield fans).