Dag & Red 3  Ashley Vickers 5  Dean Beckwith 6  Chris Piper 7  Mark Janney 9  Danny Shipp 11  Paul Bruce 12  Lenny Piper 13  James Pullen 18  Mark Bentley 20  Alex Meechan 26  Alan Kimble Substitutes 4  Lee Goodwin 14  Danny Hill 15  Leon Braithwaite 19  Tarkan Mustafa 73  Danny Lampton

Goals     Stats 4 Goal Attempts 5 2 On Target 2 2 Off Target 3 0 Hit Woodwork 0 10 Corners 3 Cards Yellow Bentley Brady Vickers   Janney   Red None None

Chester Wayne Brown  1 Danny Collins  2 Kevin McIntyre  3 Paul Carden  4 Phil Bolland  5 Ben Davies  8 Jon Brady  11 Ian Foster  12 Michael Twiss  16 Carl Ruffer  17 Darryn Stamp  24 Substitutes Andy Harris  7 Kevin Rapley  9 Daryl Clare  10 Shaun Carey  14 Scott Guyett  25

Coming off the back of a defeat at Tamworth and with just one win in the last six, the Daggers were forced into several changes. Bringing in Beckwith from Gillingham on loan and recalling Danny Lampton to the bench still only gave the Daggers 12 players to chose from, the bench made up of half-fit players or those carrying knocks. With Chester coming to Dagenham unbeaten in seven, it seemed inevitable that it would be an away win.

The Daggers, however, played much more as a team than in previous games and produced an excellent, solid, defensive display even if they didn't threaten particularly going forward. Ashley Vickers at centre back, commanded the line well and deservedly came away with a Man of the Match award, striking up a partnership with Beckwith straight away. It was indeed Vickers who threatened first, heading off target from a corner.

Twiss forced a good save from Pullen at the other end as his ferocious drive from an acute angle was pushed wide of the post after the ex-Man United man had got behind Chris Piper. Another dipping shot dropped just over Pullen's bar, and after Lenny Piper had gifted the ball to the visitors trying to clear his lines, another shot flashed wide of the Daggers' goal.

At the other end, Danny Shipp got away and hit his shot early, Brown keeping it out to his left. Stamp also somehow glanced a header wide when unmarked in the box. For much of the rest of the half though, it was more about the defences as they kept each other's chances to a minimum.

The second half was a similar story for much of it, with neither keeper having much to do although Pullen's handling of many crosses will have given him confidence. The Daggers' best chance fell to Meechan. As has been the case several times this season, he created space with a neat turn and then toe-poked well wide from only 8 yards out.

It was perhaps obvious from the start that the best source of a Daggers goal would be if a Chester defender put through his own net, such has been the strikers' drought of late. Indeed, Bolland tried his best, heading Kimble's free kick towards his own goal and Brown made a superb one-handed save low to his left to keep the game goalless.

Although the game didn't produce what would have been a very welcome win, the Daggers managed to defend well against a Chester side pushing for the title. More of a team effort than in previous games and hopefully this can form the basis to go on and start a recovery up the table.