Dagenham & Redbridge emphatically ended their recent slump with a convincing 3-0 victory over a subdued Sutton United at the Chigwell Construction Stadium. The Daggers, eager to reverse their run of draws and defeats, displayed attacking intent from the outset.
Their pressure paid off in the 15th minute. A well-worked move culminated in Trent Mahorn finding Josh Rees, who calmly slotted the ball home to give the home side the lead. Dagenham continued to dictate the tempo, their midfield dominance creating several promising chances, while Sutton struggled to establish any attacking rhythm, their forays forward frequently breaking down in the final third. Josh Umerah’s yellow card for a late challenge in the 31st minute underlined the Daggers’ determined approach.
Dagenham’s advantage was doubled just four minutes into the second half. A driving run into the penalty area drew a foul, and Dion Pereira confidently converted the resulting spot-kick. Sutton responded immediately with a double substitution, but the changes failed to ignite their attack. Instead, Dagenham maintained their control, exhibiting crisp passing and fluid movement. Yellow cards for both Finley Barbrook and Dion Pereira followed during a spell of intense midfield battles.
Dagenham added the final flourish in the 89th minute. A swift counter-attack saw Junior Morias release Pereira with a perfectly weighted pass, and the goalscorer coolly finished for his second of the match, sealing a comprehensive victory. A series of late substitutions from both sides, including Pereira departing to a well-deserved ovation, followed, but the outcome was already decided.
The victory lifts Dagenham to 14th in the National League table with 10 points, while Sutton drop to 17th with 9. While the two sides haven’t met in the league for the past three seasons, this result will undoubtedly provide Dagenham with a valuable confidence boost as they aim to climb the table.