Dag & Red Paul Gothard Lee Goodwin Mark Rooney Steve West Dean Hooper Paul Terry Danny Hill Danny Shipp Junior McDougald Mark Stein Danny Hayzelden Substitutes Tim Cole Mark Janney Ken Charlery Steve McGavin Neville Southall

Goals Terry Curtis McGavin Curtis McGavin   Stats 10 Goal Attempts 6 4 On Target 4 6 Off Target 2 0 Hit Woodwork 0 5 Corners 2 Cards Yellow West McKearney   Rigoglioso Red None None

Morecambe Craig Mawson Paul McGuire Dave McKearney Chris Lightfoot Jamie Murphy Stewart Drummond Garry Thompson Perkins Wayne Curtis John Norman Adriano Rigoglioso Substitutes Andy Gouck Ian Arnold Ryan Zico Black Peter Thomson Ian Wilcock

Garry Hill, obviously angry at the poor showing at Nuneaton, wielded the axe on some the established first teamers, as Heffer, Smith, Charlery, Jones, Broom and Janney were all absent from the starting eleven. However, McDougald and Danny Hill were given starts and these two were highly influencial in a good display of passing football by the Daggers that was infinitely better than seen at Nuneaton. By keeping the ball on the floor, the home team managed to create numerous chances and looked a good team, but were pushed by a good Morecambe side.

The game was a typical midfield scrap for the opening minutes as both sides fought for supermacy in the middle of the field, Shipp and Terry doing very well all game to break up the play and use the ball productively. McDougald and Stein were very lively and the midfield always had options as the two strikers made all the right runs.

However, Morecambe had the early chances, the first from a corner where Garry Thompson must have thought he had scored with a 15 yard volley, but Gothard made a great save to push it over and he was obviously very pleased with himself. The best chance fell to Curtis though, who was free in the area and had time, but he barely made contact with the ball as it rolled wide.

This gave the Daggers a spur and they started to come into the game and had some good chances, as Danny Hill made sure the home team kept hold of the ball with his calm and inch perfect passing. Hooper had a chance when he came in from the right and shot only for Mawson to save with his legs at the near post. Danny Hill hit a shot well wide of the target, but the Daggers took the lead with a very good piece of play. Junior McDougald got the flick in front of the last man from a long ball, and chased it down the left wing, leaving the defence for dead. Paul Terry had made a run to support him and Junior just rolled it into his path for the bald midfielder to shoot low into the net.

Terry nearly added his and the Daggers' second with a volley, as the Daggers passed the ball around in the Morecambe half and calmly waited for openings rather than hitting long balls like in recent weeks, and looked a much much better side. After another good move, Stein flicked to Terry who hit his left foot volley wide of the goal.

The fans were looking forward to the second half and more of the same from the reds, and the midfield played a big part as the Daggers looked a very good side. The chances weren't coming as often though McDougald broke down the left but crossed to the keeper, and Stein was very close to adding a second when McDougald flicked it on for him and he beat the keeer to the ball, but a defender had got back to clear the loose ball.

However, Morecambe started to bite more in midfield and got on level terms through Curtis. Terry lost the ball in midfield cheaply, and the defence was on an away day as Curtis was played through and slotted past Gothard. The Daggers pushed to get back in front though, and McDougald, the best player on the field, ran across the box to meet a ball, chested down and volleyed just over from 15 yards when under pressure.

Terry should have scored though when Goodwin played a one-two with Hayzelden down the left, broke into the box, sold the defender a dummy and crossed to Terry who somehow miskicked a half volley wide from 6 yards. Curtis could have added his second at the other end though as he broke clear and shot across goal only to see it go just wide with Gothard beaten.

However, an inspired substition by Garry Hill made the game safe. Danny Hill was suprisingly replaced, but this was soon forgotten as his replacement, McGavin, scored two goals to win the game. The Daggers went hell for leather as Janney also came on, and West went forward to join Stein and McDougald, and it was not long before the Daggers' took the lead back.

A corner was swung over by Hayzelden and Stein won the second ball to head back to McGavin on the edge of the box who hit a crisp shot with his right foot right into the bottom corner to give the Daggers a slender lead. Within two minutes, the same man was on the score sheet. He advanced with the ball, and as nobody closed him down, he tried his luck from 25 yards and hit a superb left foot curler into the top corner that dipped under the bar at the last moment to send the fans into raptures.

Curtis still had time to give the ome side some nervous minutes as he backhealed home from a corner as the defence failed to clear. With minutes to go, Gothard had to save low to his right from a tame shot to make sure of the win.