Exeter City make it 4 in a row!

Match Report: Dagenham 1 Exeter City 2

For the fourth time on the bounce, Exeter City secured a 2-1 victory – and this time it was Dagenham & Redbridge that were the vanquished side.

City were trailing to a goal by former Grecian Jamie Cureton at the break following a disappointing first half.

But Exeter, galvanised and dominant in the second period, fought back well and got on terms when Alex Nicholls was felled in the area and Jimmy Keohane netted from the penalty spot.

The turnaround was complete deep into stoppage time when Arron Davies rose highest to head in a late winner for the Grecians.

Striker Tom Nichols started for City, stepping in for the injured Graham Cummins who missed out on the matchday squad completely. Regular left-back Craig Woodman was also injured and therefore the starting XI was otherwise unchanged from the victory over Bury, while former Grecian Cureton led the line for the Daggers.

A frantic but rather loose start from both teams meant that neither goalkeeper had much to concern themselves with in the opening exchanges as both teams were struggling to build.

Grecian stopper Christy Pym was the first to be forced into action, as Cureton’s lay-off allowed Ashley Chambers to strike from outside the area, which the City goalie held well. Straight down the other end, Liam Sercombe tested Mark Cousins and forced a corner.

But in the tenth minute the scoring was opened through a familiar source for the hosts. Chambers found space on the right to send in a low cross into the feet of Cureton, and a smart touch by the 39-year-old allowed him to spin his man and find space in one movement, and he placed his shot past the exposed Pym and high into the net.

Dagenham were enjoyed the possession and chances, and Cureton wasted a gifted chance to double his and the hosts’ tally. It was a misplaced pass by Danny Butterfield that put the striker through on goal, but he curled his effort marginally wide of the target unopposed from just inside the box.

Christian Ribeiro forced Cousins into making a save as he overlapped down the right, and his teasing delivery needed touching over the bar by the stopper.

As Dagenham continued to force the issue, Cureton found the net again as he broke the back-line and slotted through the legs of Pym – but not before the assistant referee’s flag had been raised for offside.

And as the game ticked into the three added minutes at the end of the first period, Pym was called upon to make a terrific save from Cureton. The forward struck firmly from 25 yards and the deflection wrong-footed Pym, who recovered superbly to claw the ball away at the near post.

City nearly squared the scores just before the referee’s whistle – Ribeiro chipped a ball into the channel for Sercombe to back-heel into the path of Alex Nicholls, but his effort was deflected against the post and behind.

From the resultant corner, a hanging delivery was only cleared as far as Sercombe – his volley almost eked its way through the crowd, but was ultimately turned away under the crossbar.

Half-time: Dagenham & Redbridge 1 Exeter City 0