Altrincham secured a thrilling 2-1 victory over Dagenham & Redbridge in a high-octane National League clash at the J. Davidson Stadium. The Robins made a dream start, taking the lead inside the first minute. A defensive lapse allowed Regan Linney to pounce and slot home, sending the home crowd into early celebrations. Dagenham, however, responded positively and began to build pressure. Their persistence was rewarded in the 40th minute when they were awarded a penalty. Dion Pereira calmly dispatched the spot-kick, levelling the scores as the teams went into half-time at 1-1.
The second half was a tense, tactical affair, with both sides introducing substitutes in an attempt to gain the ascendancy. While both teams probed for an opening, it was Altrincham who looked the more threatening. Their patient build-up play eventually paid dividends in the 71st minute. A flowing move involving Tylor Golden created the opportunity for Tom Crawford to fire home the winner, sparking jubilant scenes amongst the Altrincham faithful. Dagenham rallied in search of a late equaliser, but the Altrincham defence stood firm to secure all three points.
The intensity of the contest was reflected in the number of yellow cards shown, with three Dagenham players entering the referee’s notebook. A series of second-half substitutions from both sides underlined the managers’ desire to impact the game. The victory lifts Altrincham to 11th in the National League table on 15 points, while Dagenham remain in 8th place on 16 points despite the defeat.