Dagenham & Redbridge 5 Uxbridge 1

Isuzu FA Trophy Third Round Proper, Tuesday December 20th

I was over at Victoria Road, Dagenham on Tuesday night and saw hosts Dagenham & Redbridge net five as their class told against lower league Uxbridge, setting up a Fourth Road home tie against fellow National League side Maidenhead United in mid January.

This was Daggers first match in this seasons competition as members of the Vanarama National League get a bye into this stage of the competition and they were big favourites against an Uxbridge side who had to battle through three Qualifying Rounds and two Proper Rounds to set up this tie.

Uxbridge are three levels below Daggers in the pyramid, the Isthmian South Central Division, and had caused an upset in the previous round when dumping Vanarama National South side Dover Athletic out on penalties, but this was expected to be a much tougher test against a strong looking Daggers line up, but Cup football does through up some surprises doesn't it.

The game was meant to have taken place at the weekend, but a frozen pitch meant it was delayed until Tuesday, and with the temps milder and the frost gone, the pitch was looking in decent nick as it always does at Victoria Road, could Uxbridge possibly spring a surprise or would Daggers see off lower league opposition to progress and try and start another cup run.

Well, from the moment Omar Mussa side footed home a pull back from Myles Weston in the ninth minute, there was only ever going to be one result as the Daggers totally overwhelmed their opponents in the opening forty five minutes, netting again in the eleventh minute when after Josh Hare had done superbly to drive out from the back, his through ball found Junior Morias who made no mistake.

After a 16th minute effort from Bird had struck the post, Daggers did find that third after just twenty five minutes of play when Mussa's lovely curled pass found Morias, and he applied a lovely curling effort beyond keeper Tobin into the far corner, and you really feared for Uxbridge at this point as it really was men against boys out there.

Thankfully for the visitors no further goals came for the remainder of the half, although it had been like a training exercise for the hosts if truth be told, they had totally outclassed their opponents, but the second half was to be a much more competitive affair, maybe down to the hosts losing their way a bit and taking the foot of the gas, but maybe because Uxbridge wanted to at least show some pride and not be totally embarrassed in this one. 

Daggers did add a fourth goal eleven minutes after the break when a cross from Mussa went in off a defenders head for an own goal, but soon after Uxbridge had their best spell of the contest and did pull a goal back just past the hour mark when Daniel Williams did well to cut inside and fire a superb left footed effort from range beyond Justham and give the visitors something to cheer at least.

The hosts cut a more frustrated figure in the second period as their zing had left them, and the visitors had found more confidence too and were giving as good as they got, but, Daggers were to have the final say in this one when substitute Paul McCallum got on the scoresheet with three minutes to go, Matt Robinson's cute pass into the box finding the striker who turned and fired home to make it five for the hosts, capping what was a largely satisfying evening for the home side. 

Daggers then go onto face Maidenhead United at home in the next round, commiserations to Uxbridge who were well beaten here but can be proud of their run in this seasons competition for sure, falling at their sixth hurdle in the end.

Full time Dagenham & Redbridge 5 Uxbridge 1