Exeter City 0
Dagenham and Redbridge 0.

Saturday 8 December 2001

Referee: P Alcock

Att: 4082 with 370 away fans

FA Cup second round.

Televised game/match.

Match Report 
Article (c) of Dag & Red FC.

Exeter City 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 0 AXA Sponsored FA Cup 2nd Round

Despite enjoying most of the possession Exeter could find no way through a well- organised Dagenham & Redbridge defence. With Lee Goodwin suspended the Daggers started with a three- man defence and yet again, as in the previous two rounds, Goalkeeper Tony Roberts showed his years of experience to keep the visitors in the competition.

Within ten seconds of the game starting, Tony Roberts had to be on his guard, as Mark Smith was tackled in his own half and Graeme Tomlinson ran through, only for Roberts to block his shot from an acute angle. It soon became clear that Exeter's threat was down the wings and Heffer soon moved into the defence to make up a back four. The Daggers first real attack was from Danny Shipp who burst into the box following a fine run but was thwarted by Campbell's fine challenge. At the other end Tomlinson again forced a good save from the Dagenham number one when he turned on the edge of the box and fired in a low shot which the goalkeeper did well to block. The visitors best chance of the game came before the interval when Jason Broom found Ken Charlery with a superb pass and the striker carried the ball into the box before being dispossessed by Power's superb lunging challenge as he was about to cross to the unmarked Mark Janney. On the stroke of half-time Alex Watson found Roscoe on the left and his low cross was smothered by Roberts as Tomlinson prepared to pounce.

Exeter had two good chances to take the lead early in the second half as it became more and more evident that the Daggers had come to defend and try to attack only on the break. First Watson rose well to meet Paul Buckle's corner but his header was scrambled away and then McConnell's pass picked out Buckle who fired his shot well over the bar. Roberts made another fine save for Dagenham when he raced off his line to smother Martin Barlow's shot after McConnell and Tomlinson linked well, The Daggers did muster one goal attempt in the game, a Stein header from 18-yards that looped up and down into Van Heusden's arms, although it was going wide anyway. The final chance of the game fell to Exeter City substitute Steve Flack who met Buckle's corner with a header which was again saved well by Roberts to earn his side a replay.

EXETER CITY 0
DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 0

EXETER: A Van Heusden, B McConnell, A Watson, J Campbell, G Power, P Buckle, M Barlow, K Ampadu, A Roscoe, G Tomlinson, C Roberts. Substitutes: S Fraser, N Whitworth, G Breslan (for Roberts, 84 mins), S Flack (Roscoe, 63), G Cronin.

DAGENHAM: T Roberts, M Rooney, A Vickers, D Shipp, M Smith, S Heffer, J Broom, M Janney, P Terry, K Charlery, M Stein. Substitutes: P Gothard, S McGavin, D Hill (Terry, 79), D Hazeldon (Broom, 52), J McDougald (Stein, 87).

Booked: Vickers (Dagenham)

Shots on target: Exeter 5 Dagenham O, Corners: Exeter 5 Dagenham 2, Offsides: Exeter 3, Dagenham 5, Fouls: Exeter 8, Dagenham 13

Referee: Paul Alcock (Halstead). Attendance: 4,082