A closely fought encounter at the Jakemans Community Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw between Boston United and Dagenham & Redbridge, with both sides earning a share of the spoils.
The visitors broke the deadlock in the 27th minute. A well-worked passing move culminated in Junior Morias slipping a perfectly weighted through-ball to Dylan Stephenson, who coolly slotted the ball past the Boston goalkeeper to give Dagenham & Redbridge a 1-0 lead. The goal spurred the visitors on, and they began to control possession and probe for a second.
However, Boston United responded defiantly. Somewhat against the run of play, in the 39th minute, Billy Chadwick’s inviting cross found Jai Rowe, who expertly directed the ball into the net to restore parity. The equaliser breathed new life into the home side, leading to a more even contest for the remainder of the first half. Just before the half-time whistle, Dagenham & Redbridge’s Harry Phipps was booked for a late challenge.
The second half witnessed a series of yellow cards and substitutions as both managers looked to gain the advantage. Dagenham & Redbridge’s Christian N’Guessan was shown a yellow card in the 53rd minute for a foul, with Boston’s Chadwick receiving the same punishment in the 62nd minute for a similar infringement. The match became increasingly disjointed, with neither side able to sustain any meaningful periods of pressure.
A spate of tactical substitutions followed. Boston United introduced Samuel Osborne, Oluwalopemiwa Aderoju, and Dan Mooney, replacing Keaton Ward, Jacob Hazel, and Billy Chadwick respectively. Dagenham & Redbridge responded by bringing on Frank Vincent and Ralph Vigrass in place of Harry Phipps and goalscorer Dylan Stephenson. A late substitution for Boston saw Adam Marriott replace Frankie Maguire. In the 94th minute, as the game neared its conclusion, Dagenham & Redbridge’s Romoney Crichlow was shown a yellow card.
Despite a late push from both teams, neither could find a winning goal. The draw leaves Boston United 23rd in the National League, with five draws from their 17 matches played. Dagenham & Redbridge climb to 12th. The two sides haven’t faced each other in league competition for the past three seasons.