Match report: Dag & Red 1 Port Vale 1
PORT Vale were denied a sensational victory at League Two high-flyers Dagenham & Redbridge this afternoon by Josh Scott's 88th-minute equaliser.
Vale came within minutes of wrecking Dagenham's unbeaten home record, which stretched to seven games before kick off, when Louis Dodds hit his fifth goal of the campaign towards the end of the first half.
But the hosts eventually capitalised on their pressure when Scott grabbed a late leveller.
The result still means Vale extend their unbeaten record, in all competitions, to seven games.
Vale made two changes from the virus-hit starting line-up that secured a 1-1 home draw against Cheltenham last weekend.
Out went centre-half Luke Prosser as Lee Collins was restored to the team after recovering from illness.
Skipper Tommy Fraser was also included after overcoming the virus and an injured ankle to replace the suspended Anthony Griffith in central midfield.
Vale received a boost in the build-up to kick off when top scorer Marc Richards shrugged off a slight thigh injury to take his place up front.
But they were without injured duo midfielder Doug Loft (groin) and striker Geoff Horsfield (groin).
Dagenham included left-back Matt Lockwood in their starting line-up after signing on a month's loan from Colchester United.
And, as expected, Dagenham took every chance to try to utilise the athleticism of nine-goal Paul Benson and the pace of fellow striker Wesley Thomas with a string of searching balls.
In the second minute Daggers midfielder Stuart Thurgood rifled an audacious 30-yarder that fell wide of the mark.
A minute later Thomas's penalty claim was correctly waved away by referee Roger East after the attacker flung himself to the ground under Collins's challenge.
Vale struggled to get into their stride early on in the face of Dagenham's high-octane approach.
On six minutes Thomas flew past centre-half John McCombe and, as Collins provided cover, the striker's weak back-heel failed to find the onrushing Jon Nurse in the left channel.
McCombe redeemed himself, though, when he intercepted Mark Arber's long ball with Benson threatening to break clear.
Thurgood missed the target with another long-range effort before Peter Gain's angled 12-yard volley just cleared the bar.
Vale were struggling to create any openings of note as striker Lewis Haldane and wing-back Kris Taylor had shots blocked around the 12-minute mark.
Good work from defender Gareth Owen denied Benson a free header on goal in the 13th minute.
And from the resulting left-flank corner defender Will Antwi was inches away from converting at the far post.
Two minutes later Danny Green's grass-cutter was helped on and sent beyond the right-hand post from eight yards by Thomas.
In the 17th minute Nurse fired into Martin's arms with an angled effort.
For all Dagenham's huff and puff Vale almost took the lead in the 24th minute when Haldane received the ball in the box.
The 24-year-old swivelled before crashing the ball against the bar from eight yards.
His near miss seemed to inject more poise and confidence into Vale's play as the game retained its scrappy complexion.
On the half-hour mark Benson slipped in Gain whose wasteful drive flew the wrong side of the near left-hand post.
Dagenham were forced into some desperate defending in the 35th minute when Fraser unleashed a set-piece deep on the right.
Owen headed the ball back across goal at the far post, but Dagenham made a last-gasp clearance with Richards ready to pounce from close range.
But there was little the Daggers could do about Dodds's deadly 38th-minute strike when the ball was fed towards the edge of the box.
He cut inside Scott Doe before crashing his 16-yard effort into the top right-hand corner.
On 40 minutes, Owen was well positioned to block Nurse's left-wing cross.
Three minutes after the break Martin did well to beat away Gain's edge-of-the-box side-footer, diving to his right, before Thurgood missed the target with his follow-up effort.
Benson guided a speculative shot over from 30 yards soon after.
While Dagenham were the more dominant side at the start of the second period they lacked that all-important killer touch.
On 56 minutes Green's wicked right-wing delivery flashed across Vale's goal and away to safety.
Martin came to his side's aid again in the 61st minute when Arber's long set-piece found Benson in the box.
Quick as a flash, the striker turned but saw his 10-yard drive palmed away by the youngster.
Lockwood fired over a 25-yard free-kick on 64 minutes.
While Vale seemed content to contain the Daggers's blunt attack they still offered the occasional threat.
Haldane stretched his legs down the right in the 69th minute before his cross was eventually cleared to Jason Jarrett.
But the midfielder failed to hit the target from 20 yards.
Three minutes later Dodds's glancing header, meeting Taylor's cross, cleared the bar before Martin scooped up a poorly-struck 10-yard shot from substitute Scott.
In the 80th minute Scott was guilty of missing a guilt-edged chance when, in oceans of space, he volleyed over from eight yards.
And in the 83rd minute Vale substitute Rob Taylor could count himself unlucky not to earn his side a penalty when Antwi appeared to chop him down in the box.
The ball eventually fell to Richards who failed to test keeper Tony Roberts with a tame 20-yarder.
Vale rode their luck soon after when Harlee Dean headed over from close range, before fellow substitute Graeme Montgomery volleyed agonisingly wide from the left channel.
But Scott made up for his earlier poor finishing by equalising in the 88th minute when he latched onto Arber's diagonal pass.
The striker raced onto the ball before lobbing the onrushing Martin from the angle with a cute 12-yard finish.
Dagenham pressed for the winner but Vale clung on to earn a deserved point.
Teams
Dagenham: Roberts, Doe (Dean 82), Antwi, Arber, Lockwood, Green, Thurgood, Gain, Nurse (Montgomery, 73), Thomas (Scott, 67), Benson.
Not used: Lewington, Demetriou, Bingham, Tejan-Sie.
Vale: Port Vale: Martin, Stockley, Owen, McCombe, Collins, K Taylor, Jarrett, Fraser, Dodds, Richards, Haldane (R Taylor, 80).
Not used: Anyon, Prosser, Howland, Yates, Guy, McCrory.
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire).
Attendance: 2,003 (including 265 visitors)
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