Despite the efforts of the Daggers players, Rushden showed their class and took the game by the scruff of the neck. That isn't to say the Daggers didn't have their chances though, as it was in fact the Daggers who attacked for much of the first fifteen minutes. Paul Cobb had the first chance when the ball fell to him 20 yards out but his powerful volley was not very well directed, going well wide. Junior McDougald had the next real chance minutes later when he held the ball up, turned the defender with ease but shot narrowly wide of Turley's left hand post. Then came the sucker punch in much the same way as the previous match. Rushden attacked on the break and put in a cross from the right which was headed past Roberts by youth prodigy Andy Burgess. The Daggers continued to attack and Broom, Jones and McDougald put in many good crosses which unfortunately found the head of defender Warburton every time. Paul Cobb had a good chance of an equaliser when the ball was cleared to him with the keeper off his line but his chip from 25 yards was just over the bar. Rushden nearly made it two when a header looked like looping over Roberts but he pulled off a great save and the resulting goal from the rebound was ruled offside. Roberts was called into action again when he rushed from his line to rob the ball from the feet of a Rushden striker. They did make it two before half time however when Vickers was easily beaten inside the box and expensive striker Duane Darby tucked the ball in the net.

In the second half, the Daggers had many more chances but once again failed to take them. Paul Cobb had the best chance when he had a volley from 18 yards but it was too central and theatrically tipped over by Turley. The Daggers had a succession of 4 corners but failed to score from any of them. Many chances were found such as when Cole rose above the rest but didn't get enough power or accuracy to threaten the goal. Matt Jones had a header from the last of these corners but it went just wide of the target. Mark Keen was introduced to the action and created mayhem in the Rushden box. A good cross from the right was directed towards Keen but he just failed to make contact the ball then hit a Rushden defender and was directed goalwards but landed in the hands of Turley. Forbes nearly created a chance when he put in a good hard and low cross which was stabbed wide by an away defender. McDougald and Keen worked hard up front with Keen showing why he was picked to enter the fray above Haworth with some good touches and powerful heading. With a few minutes remaining, the Diamonds hit Dagenham on the break and nearly got a third but Vickers bad tackle was adjudged to be fair. A penalty was awarded to the visitors when Vickers was adjudged to have fouled although he clearly won the ball. Tony Roberts saved well to keep the score respectable. Bad refereeing led to a booking for Cole when he clearly won the ball.

D & R: Tony Roberts, Tim Cole, Lee Matthews, Ashley Vickers, Jason Broom (Mark Keen), Mark Janney, Steve Forbes (Paul Terry), Mark Brennan, Matt Jones, Paul Cobb (Danny Shipp), Junior McDougald. Subs not used: Rob Haworth, Derek Payne.

Man of the Match: Tony Roberts was assured and pulled off some good saves