Dagenham and Redbridge snatched a late victory against Ebbsfleet United at the Chigwell Construction Stadium, courtesy of Josh Umerah’s 87th-minute penalty. In a closely fought match, officiated by Adrian Quelch, the decisive moment arrived late, providing a dramatic finale for the home support.
The first half was a cautious affair, with both teams struggling to establish dominance. The stop-start nature of the play was highlighted by a yellow card issued to Ebbsfleet’s Maxx Manktelow in the 32nd minute for a foul. Neither side managed to create any clear-cut opportunities, and the score remained 0-0 at the interval.
Dagenham manager Lewis Young sought to invigorate his team’s attack, making the first substitution in the 68th minute, introducing Marcus Wyllie in place of Aaron Loupalo-Bi. Shortly afterwards, Dion Pereira was replaced by Conor Lawless in another tactical adjustment. Ebbsfleet manager Joshua Wright responded in the 75th minute, bringing on Dominic Poleon for George Moncur, aiming to inject some dynamism into their attack. Dagenham continued their substitutions in the 78th minute, with Shiloh Remy replacing Chris Francis.
The pattern of substitutions and tactical adjustments continued as Ebbsfleet replaced Maxx Manktelow with Alexander Moaid Goria Aoraha in the 83rd minute. The match then took a decisive turn in the 85th minute when Ebbsfleet’s Ryan Carr received a yellow card for a foul. Just two minutes later, Dagenham were awarded a penalty, and Josh Umerah stepped up to calmly slot the ball home, giving his side a 1-0 lead.
As the game approached the 90th minute, Dagenham made a further change, bringing on Trent Mahorn for Jake Hessenthaler. Ebbsfleet also made a double substitution, introducing Callum Harriott for Toby Edser. The drama wasn’t over, however. In the 93rd minute, Ebbsfleet’s Josh Passley received a second yellow card for violent conduct, resulting in a red card and further compounding the away side’s woes. Ryan Hill of Dagenham then received a yellow card in the 94th minute. Deep into added time, in the 99th minute, Dagenham replaced Umerah with Christian N’Guessan to solidify their defence.
The final whistle triggered celebrations among the Dagenham supporters. This victory lifts Dagenham and Redbridge to 47 points and into 21st position. Ebbsfleet United remain at the foot of the table, their relegation already confirmed, with their points total remaining at 22.