Dagenham & Redbridge 1 York City 0: Superb Frankie Raymond goal grabs Daggers vital win over Minstermen

Frankie Raymond of Dagenham & Redbridge celebrates the winning goal against York City (pic: David Simpson/TGS Photo) ©TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468

National League: Dagenham & Redbridge 1 (Raymond 83) York City 0

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Dagenham & Redbridge players observe a minute's silence before the game with York City (pic: David Simpson/TGS Photo) Dagenham & Redbridge players observe a minute's silence before the game with York City (pic: David Simpson/TGS Photo)

Dagenham & Redbridge left it late to grab what could be a crucial success at home to York City in the National League.

Despite a bright start to proceedings, the Essex club were unable to find a breakthrough in the opening 45 minutes.

However, with time running out, Frankie Raymond came off the bench to curl home the winning goal for the Victoria Road outfit.

Daggers boss John Still wielded the axe with six changes to his squad following Tuesday’s awful defeat at Aldershot Town.

Elliot Romain of Dagenham & Redbridge gets past a York City defender (pic: David Simpson/TGS Photo) Elliot Romain of Dagenham & Redbridge gets past a York City defender (pic: David Simpson/TGS Photo)

Curtley Williams, Josh Staunton, Luke Howell, Luke Guttridge, Paul Benson and Elliott Romain all came into the starting XI.

Jordan Maguire-Drew and Raymond both dropped to the bench while Oliver Hawkins, Fejiri Okenabirhie, Jake Sheppard dropped out altogether, with Shaun Donnellan on international duty.

Skipper Scott Doe was one of the few to keep his starting spot and was making his 300th appearance for the Essex club.

It took Daggers just seven minutes to create the first chance of the game when left-back Joe Widdowson went on the overlap past Guttridge.

The defender received the ball and delivered a first time cross for Benson, but his header was comfortable for City stopper Scott Loach.

Just two minutes later, the evergreen Daggers forward went close again, this time from a Guttridge corner, but Benson’s header was cleared off the line.

With a touch under a quarter of an hour gone, Howell blocked a clearance from York defender Alex Whittle, with the Daggers man reaching the ball first.

However, Howell’s shot from just inside the box was blocked by Whittle, who covered brilliantly to atone for his error.

From there, though, things seemed to peter out for Daggers as the match became a physical affair.

Daggers were fortunate not to concede in the 29th minute, when Minstermen forward Vadaine Oliver nodded over a corner at the near post.

Oliver was involved for York again four minutes later, teeing up striker partner Jon Parkin on the edge of the area, but the burly forward blazed over.

With nine minutes left in the half, Daggers felt they should have been given a penalty when Corey Whitely went down in the box, but nothing was given.

The Essex club then had another let off with the final play of the half when Adriano Moke’s looped header hit the bar before Amari Morgan-Smith fired the rebound over.

As it was, the half ended goalless, with neither team able to unlock the opposition defence in the opening period.

Daggers nearly gifted York the lead just five minutes into the second half when a long ball forward from Simon Heslop was left by everyone, including stopper Elliot Justham.

The keeper obviously felt the ball was going wide, so would have been a relieved man to see it hit the post before kindly falling into his arms.

At the other end eight minutes later, Romain superbly broke into the box before crossing for Daggers.

His ball was palmed into the path of Whitely at the back post, but with the goal at his mercy, the Daggers forward got his feet in a muddle and the chance was gone.

With less than 20 minutes to go in the match, Williams went on a superb run down the right before delivering a superb ball.

Romain looked on hand to head home his first goal for the club, but somehow his effort from point blank range did not cross the line before Loach gathered.

Justham had to be at his best in the 79th minute, keeping out a powerful 25-yard half-volley from City midfielder Asa Hall.

Daggers finally made the breakthrough with seven minutes remaining when replacement Raymond found the net.

After a superb build-up involving several players, the ball found its way to Raymond on the edge of the area.

The midfielder fashioned space for himself by cutting back in onto his favoured left foot, before curling an effort past Loach.

It proved to be the game’s only goal, and Daggers will hope to carry the momentum into next Saturday’s game at home to Eastleigh.

Daggers (4-1-2-1-2): Justham; Williams, Doe, Staunton, Widdowson; Robson; Howell, Guttridge (Raymond 78); Whitely; Benson, Romain

Subs: Cousins, Robinson, Maguire-Drew, Ling

York (3-4-3): Loach; Bencherif, Parslow, Newton; Heslop, Hall (Connolly 88), Moke (Fenwick 88), Whittle; Oliver, Parkin, Morgan-Smith (Muggleton 78)

Subs: Rooney, Holmes

Referee: Carl Brook

Attendance: 1,659 (including 288 away)