Montgomery late show gives Dagenham fresh hope

The Daggers came from behind to register a vital win as they bid to gatecrash the League Two play-off places.

Shaun Harrad had put the visitors ahead with a sumptuous curling strike from the edge of the box midway through the first half, but the hosts bounced back thanks to a stunning 30-yard shot from Romain Vincelot. It looked as if John Still and his men were to be denied after a late siege yielded chances aplenty but some sloppy finishing, until Montgomery's timely intervention.

The Daggers were fresh off the back of a 4-1 thumping of Barnet in midweek, and they looked to pick up where they left off, almost taking the lead inside the first 40 seconds.

Josh Scott was released down the left and he scooped the ball into the middle and on to the head of Paul Benson, who had galloped to the six yard box, but the hosts; leading goalscorer headed over when he should have found the net.

Less than a minute later and Dagenham's hot shot in recent weeks, Danny Green, stung the hands of stand-in keeper Kevin Poole from a free-kick 35 yards out with a bullet of a strike.

If the first ten minutes were anything to go by, the home fans could look forward to a rout and a huge step towards an elusive play-off spot.

However, Burton quickly rallied and proceeded to dominate possession and create several promising openings.

Midfielder Russell Penn charged forward, riding two challenges and shimmying inside before bursting into the box. He opted to cross for Cleveland Taylor, who in turn squared to Shaun Harrad, but the striker scuffed his shot and Tony Roberts was able to clear the danger with his legs.

From the resulting corner Harrad rose at the near post to glance a header goalwards, but the ball fell the wrong side of the crossbar.

It was now all Burton, and it was Harrad again who almost found the target, but his header clattered against the post with Roberts stranded.

Eventually the pressure paid off and, after getting closer and closer, Harrad finally hit the jackpot, curling a delightful first-time shot from 25 yards in off the same post he had struck moments earlier. Roberts, at full stretch, got a fingertip to the ball, but it was not enough to divert it wide.

Benson then saw a header from Green's setpiece fly harmlessly into the arms of Poole. Then, with ten minutes of the half remaining, Benson should have done better when Green's scuffed shot found him unmarked at the near post, but his tame effort was well-held by the keeper.

After promising so much, the Daggers failed to impose themselves on Albion and did little to worry Poole between the posts.

The story was much the same after the break, Daggers desperately searching for a leveller in a game that was as close to a must-win as one can get.

The needed inspiration, and they got it from the unlikeliest of sources. Romain Vincelot, an anonymous figure to that point in the match, collected the ball to trigger a counter-attack. The midfielder had options on both sides but decided to try his luck from all of 30 yards, and the result nobody could have expected, the ball swerving into the top corner for his first goal for the club.

It looked as if that moment of magic would spark an onslaught from Dagenham, but it didn't materialise. Indeed, it was the visitors who was to threaten next, Jacques Maghoma twisting and turning his way past Abu Ogogo down the left wing. After appearing to be clipped the referee brought play back for a free-kick on the edge of the box, but the Daggers were able to clear their lines.

Harrad, looking by far Burton's most potent threat, then charged at Scott Doe and took the ball round the defender, but Ogogo was there to pinch the ball off the foot of the striker.

Albion skipper John McGrath shot over after a good move, and Benson fired straight at Poole after collecting a chest-down from his strike partner, Scott.

Dagenham then had a strong shout for a penalty turned down when Scott galloped onto a long ball over the top and looked to have been hauled to the ground by Tony James, only for the referee to inexplicably award a free-kick the other way.

Route one then led to another chance, but this time the ball didn't fall right for Benson, and his attempted header was easily dealt with by Poole.

Benson then should have put the hosts in front with less than ten minutes to go, the striker latching on to a headed clearance by Scott Doe but, after checking the linesman's flag was not raised against him, fired wide from 15 yards when he ought to have found the net.

A minute later and it was Green's turn to miss the mark, the winger lashing Benson's lay-off inexcusably wide.

The pressure was building and the dam looked as if it would cave in, but it was more down to some profligate finishing that resolute defending that Daggers were being denied.

In the closing stages Ogogo saw his shot crash back off him after being set up by substitute Graeme Montgomery.

But with less than a minute remaining came the moment that could yet make Dagenham's season a memorable one.

The umpteenth long throw from Green resulted in a goalmouth scramble that Burton failed to clear, and the ball fell for Montgomery, who took a wild swipe and the ball nestled into the bottom corner.

The result sees the Daggers climb into the play-off places on goal difference with just three games to go.