Dag & Red Tony Roberts Mark Rooney Jason Broom Mark Smith Lee Goodwin Mark Brennan Mark Janney Steve Heffer Ken Charlery Junior McDougald Steve McGavin Substitutes Danny Shipp Tim Cole Danny Hayzelden Paul Terry Paul Gothard

Goals Shipp   Stats 10 Goal Attempts 5 6 On Target 3 3 Off Target 2 1 Hit Woodwork 0 Corners Cards Yellow None None Red None None

Eastbourne B Paul Stark Darren Baker John Scarborough Paul Stevens Ben Austin Nathan Godden John Westcott Darren Pearce Dave Adams Matt Crabb Andy Ducille Substitutes Matt Allen Adam Davidson Steve Dallaway Matt Smart Dean Lightwood

It was a case of role reversal for the Daggers against a tough and determined Eastbourne Borough side who were certainly up for it and tested the Daggers several times. Just a week after being the minnows against Ipswich, the Daggers were the big-guns that the lower league team were aiming to topple.

Brennan and McGavin started for the home side in midfield and it became clear that their lack of mobility and pace handed more authority to the away team than if Terry and Jones had played.

Eastbourne were quickest out of the blocks and forced a couple of early corners that gave the home side some concern. As the half went on though, the Daggers were more on top and the half was quite evenly matched overall.

Eastbourne looked more than able of scoring and their danger was shown when they broke down he right and flashed a shot across the goal that went just wide of the far post. The Daggers also had to clear off the line from another shot that had beaten Roberts.

The Daggers came into it as McGavin latched onto a flick to hit a drive from the edge of the box that the keeper did superbly well to tip over the bar. Charlery also tested the keeper with a left foot shot from 20 yards that the keeper stopped excellently.

Roberts had to make a great save at the other end as Crabb went on a mazy run and shot low only for Roberts to tip it round the post for a corner. Brennan hit a low drive wide at the ther end.

The second half, although still a poor Daggers performance, was more in favour of the home side than the first half. Eastbourne had two early scares as balls were whipped in low across the face of goal with McDougald first and McGavin second not anticipating.

Janney had little chance to run at the full-back witht he ball congested into the middle of the field quite a lot during the game, and the midfield were often by-passed by both sides who tried to hit the strikers early, however this was working better for the away side who found space in the channels.

McGavin hit the post with a diving header from a right wing Charlery cross which left the keeper standing, and Charlery and Brennan hit shots well wide from outside the box. McGavin also nearly scored when Terry distracted the keeper by running in front of him and McGavin shot, but the keeper managed to grab the ball.

However, with a minute left, Shipp gave Daggers the win. He got the ball on the left, turned inside and shot, the ball deflecting off a defender and past the keeper at his near post.