Josh Rees’s late first-half strike proved decisive as Dagenham & Redbridge secured a vital 1-0 victory against FC Halifax Town at The Shay Stadium, ending a run of five winless matches against their opponents. The closely-fought contest, though lacking goals, was packed with intensity and drama.
Halifax dominated the early exchanges, their intricate passing moves probing the Dagenham defence. However, the visitors maintained a disciplined and organised shape, frustrating Halifax’s attempts to carve out clear-cut opportunities. The growing intensity of the match was reflected in a yellow card for Dagenham’s Kayden Harrack on the half-hour mark for a clumsy challenge. Just as the half seemed destined to end goalless, Dagenham struck on the counter-attack. In the 44th minute, a swift break caught the Halifax defence out of position, allowing Rees to apply a clinical finish and give the visitors a crucial lead heading into the break.
The second half saw a more open and frantic affair as Halifax committed men forward in search of an equaliser. Dagenham, determined to protect their slender advantage, battled fiercely, with Josh Umerah receiving a yellow card in the 53rd minute for a late tackle. Both managers sought to influence the game with a series of substitutions. Adam Alimi-Adetoro replaced Tom Pugh for Halifax, followed by Owen Bray for Jack Jenkins, and finally Jamie Cooke for Zak Emmerson. Dagenham responded by introducing Marcus Wyllie for Aaron Loupalo-Bi, Trent Mahorn for the booked Harrack, and, in the closing stages, Conor Lawless for Umerah. Despite sustained pressure and wave after wave of attacks, Halifax were unable to breach the resolute Dagenham defence. A late yellow card for Dagenham’s Jake Hessenthaler in stoppage time added to the tension, but the visitors held firm to secure a hard-fought three points.
The victory sees Dagenham & Redbridge climb to 19th in the table with 39 points, while Halifax Town, despite their recent strong form, remain in 5th place on 62 points.