Wembley, baring an almighty miracle tomorrow at Christie Park seems to be a pipe dream as Morecambe’s biggest ever game in years turned into a nightmare as Dag & Red romped home to a 6-0 win in the first leg. I’ll let the Barking and Dagenham Post talk you through the destruction:
by MIKE SIMMONDS
BARRING a miracle of Lazarus like proportions, Dagenham & Redbridge will walk out at Wembley in just over a week's time for the League Two Play-Off Final.
Standing in their way had been 180 minutes of football against third-placed Morecambe, but with the tie now at half time, there is only one winner.
Chairman Dave Andrews had hoped in last Wednesday's Post that his side were at least on level terms going into the second leg at Christie Park. Well, he got slightly more than he had wished for.
If it was a boxing match, it would have been called to a halt midway through the second half, such was Daggers' dominance.It's not unfair to Morecambe either to say they could well have been 10 behind at full time, as they were quite simply blown away.
The scene was set for an intriguing battle, with Daggers' largest crowd of the season, 4,566 packed into Victoria Road.
With the atmosphere reaching fever pitch, the hosts appeared and stoked the flames after a mere four minutes.
Abu Ogogo volleyed over a cross from the right, it reached an unmarked Jon Nurse, whose diving header was fumbled clear by Barry Roche, only for the offside-looking Paul Benson to tap home.
The Shrimps never recovered from the early blow and looked ill at ease from the word go, whereas Daggers positively relished the occasion.
First to every loose ball, they snapped into their tackles with gusto and produced a complete performance that manager John Still could only have dreamed of.
Paul Mullin had a shot blocked by Tony Roberts, before powering a header over, but Daggers had shouts for a penalty when the ball appeared to strike Andy Parrish on the arm.
Nothing was given, but Daggers didn't let it phase them and went 2-0 ahead on 35 minutes.
Roche's goal kick was poor as it flew straight to Josh Scott, but the striker had plenty to do, as he went racing clear.
He took his chance supremely though, drawing the keeper out of position and slotting into the bottom corner.
For some Shrimps fans, it was too much to bear, as a few were led away by police, and they could count themselves lucky to miss out on the pounding in store for their side.
Daggers should have been out of sight at the break as Danny Green sent two shots just wide.
For a moment it appeared Morecambe had a chance to get back into the match, as, roared back on to the pitch by their mostly excellent supporters, Laurence Wilson's volley was just out of Mark Duffy's reach.
But that was a cruel red herring for their followers as Daggers put the tie beyond reach, when Green was crudely flattened by Jim Bentley in the box.
After scoring his last three attempts, the winger naturally wanted the chance to make it four, but skipper Mark Arber grabbed the ball instead.
A clearly annoyed Green then saw his captain produce a tame effort that Roche easily saved, only for Scott to spare his blushes, eventually turning the rebound home.
Tellingly, Green failed to join in with the celebrations that followed, but he was soon in the thick of the action again, swinging over a corner that Scott headed into the net for his hat-trick.
The fun and games hadn't stopped there though as like a metronome, Daggers kept on attacking and maintained the full court press that didn't allow their opponents any respite.
It worked too as Morecambe's heads dropped and they soon fell apart.
A long ball pumped forward saw Parrish head the ball across his own area and Benson nipped in to convert his 20th of the campaign.
The goals kept coming too as Scott picked the pocket of Bentley by the corner flag to slip home his fourth goal.
It could easily have been more as Scott lashed a volley inches over, while Shrimps afternoon was summed up, when Duffy had a glorious chance to pull one back, but ended up on his backside after completely missing his kick.
Daggers: Roberts, Ogogo, McCrory, Arber, Doe (Uddin 80), Green, Gain (Tejan-Sie 90), Vincelot, Nurse, Benson, Scott.
Subs not used: Lewington, Currie, Bingham, Walsh, Montgomery.
Attendance: 4,566 (inc 523 away).
I’ll be at the last ever game at Christie Park as Morecambe try to claw back 6 goals. (I’ll be happy with a 3-0 win really) I’ll sum up my 09/10 season after June 3rd, its been great fun.
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