DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 3 BRAINTREE TOWN 0

Vanarama National League

Braintree Town were unable to complete a festive double over Dagenham and Redbridge as the Daggers revenged their Boxing Day defeat on home turf.

The Iron had won the reverse fixture 3-2 at their own home seven days earlier and were looking to extend their unbeaten Vanarama National League run to six games.

However, they found themselves chasing the game from early on as Dagenham gave their play-off bid a much-needed boost.

There were two sending offs in the Boxing Day clash at the Ironmongery Direct Stadium – one for each team – and the pattern was maintained in the return fixture as well.

Braintree had to play 70 minutes with ten men after Reece Hall-Johnson was shown a straight red card for a lunging tackle midway through the first half.

They were already trailing to Jordan Maguire-Drew’s 12th minute opener and were left with a mountain to climb as Dagenham finally had the chance to get back to winning ways in front of their own fans.

Daggers had drawn one and lost six of their previous seven home games since a 1-0 league win against Aldershot Town in October but they were able to see this one out in reasonable comfort.

The Iron made two changes from the side that had started the corresponding home fixture on Boxing Day and both of those were enforced.

One unavoidable change was that of Simeon Akinola following the winger’s New Year transfer to League Two side Barnet, while Norwich City loanee Ebou Adams was suspended after his sending off in the previous game.

That meant Harry Lee and Joe Maybanks came back into the starting line-up and it was a bright start from the visitors, but the first sight at goal was for the Daggers.

In the third minute, a free-kick from the right was whipped in and everyone missed it until it got to Corey Whitely, who should have done better with an unmarked header at the back post.

However, the Daggers’ forward was instrumental in the opening goal on 12 minutes.

A lovely move down the left and a deft back heel by Whitely saw the Iron covering defence sucked in and Joe Widdowson advanced on goal before placing his shot past Sam Beasant.

In the end, though, he was denied a goal against his name as, having done the hard work, Jordan Maguire-Drew slid in at the back post to make sure it crossed the line.

It was suddenly all Dagenham and they really should have been clear with several chances that weren’t taken, including one for Maguire-Drew that was blasted over after the Iron defence had failed to clear their lines.

With Braintree on the back foot, the last thing they needed was to lose a man, but that’s exactly what happened in the 20th minute.

A lunging challenge by Hall-Johnson on Frankie Raymond was judged worthy of a straight red card by referee Anthony Coggins to leave the visitors to face 70 minutes at a numerical disadvantage.

It put the Daggers in complete control, but the Iron tried to stay bold and slowly worked their way back into the game.

They looked most threatening from set pieces, such as long throw-ins from Lee, when they could pack bodies into the Dagenham area, but the home defence was up to the challenge.

If they couldn’t score, Braintree knew they had to get to half-time just one down at the worst, however, the hosts ruined any hopes of that in the 42nd minute.

A lovely ball in from the right by Widdowson was flicked on by Maguire-Drew to the feet of Luke Guttridge, who was clinical with his finish to double Dagenham’s lead at the interval.

It left the Iron with a mountain to climb in the second 45 minutes but the 102 Braintree fans among the crowd of 1,261 didn’t stop their encouragement of their team.

In truth, though, the home side stayed in control and the game resembled an attack versus defence training session at times.

To their credit, Braintree held their shape well, parking bodies in front of the massed ranks in front of them and Dagenham had to be content with pushing the ball around in midfield.

With 65 minutes on the clock, Iron boss Hakan Hayrettin rolled the dice by substituting Maybanks for Zak Jules so he had three at the back, with Sean Clohessy and Jerome Okimo as wing-backs.

It saw the Iron pose a greater attacking threat and play moved higher up the pitch more often, but the main threat remained from the hosts.

That was emphasised as seconds after Cheek had headed over from a good move by Braintree, the hosts went up the other end in the 80th minute and Whitely drilled home a shot that flew past Beasant after taking a deflection.

It killed any hopes Braintree may have still harboured of rescuing anything from the game and allowed the hosts to see the game out with ease.

Braintree Town: Sam Beasant, Jerome Okimo, Ian Gayle, Sean Clohessy, Manny Parry, Chez Isaac, Reece Hall-Johnson, Joe Maybanks (Zak Jules 65), Jack Midson, Harry Lee (Sam Corne 75), Michael Cheek (Lee Barnard 86).

Subs not used: Barney Williams, Claudio Dias.

Referee: Anthony Coggins.