Northwich Victoria 2 Dagenham 2

Last updated : 02 October 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Northwich twice came from behind to snatch a point but found no favour with manager Steve Burr.

He launched into a dressing room tirade and afterwards stormed back to take his seat in the dugout while he clamed down.

He said: "I want my team to excite me but this team does not.

"If I have to use 200 players to get it right I will because there are players here who are certainly not good enough.

"No disrespect to Dagenham, but they were the worst side we have played this season yet they could of scored twice near the end and might have had a penalty as well.

"I am always trying to lift this team but it is time they lifted me." The game only warmed up when Glen Southam blasted the Daggers in front from a Craig Mackail-Smith cross which was deflected by Mark Foran.

Northwich's first shot on target was the equaliser and John Allan could not miss. Paul Brayson's cross seemed to take Tony Roberts by surprise and Allan simply had to make contact on the goal-line to score.

Dagenham were still the brighter side and their lead was restored on the hour with Mackail-Smith the creator. His deft pass into the box found Southam whose first shot struck keeper Andrew Ralph, but he managed to squeeze home the rebound despite a late tackle by Foran.

Northwich switched to three attackers but Mackail-Smith and Tony Boot missed chances before the home sides adventurous policy paid off.

Allan was again the hero with a fierce strike after a Phil Hadland centre had troubled the Daggers defence.

But still Northwich could not rest the initiative away from the visitors who had strong appeals for a penalty waved aside when Foran tackled Mackail-Smith in front of goal.

In the closing stages a Boot cross found Mark Janney unmarked but his close-range header hit a post.

And deep into injury-time, with Ralph hopelessly out of position, Boot headed a Janney cross against the bar.

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