Jon Nurse brace helps Daggers secure vital victory

Ten man Dagenham & Redbridge took their fight for survival to the final day of the season with a resounding victory over Carlisle United on Saturday.

The home side made the best possible start, taking the lead after four minutes when referee Darren Drysdale awarded a penalty for Lubomir Michalik’s foul on John Akinde.

Danny Green missed the spot-kick, with Adam Collin saving low to his right, but Jon Nurse was on hand to fire in the rebound.

On 29 minutes Daggers day got even better, when Akinde powered past defender Peter Murphy and his low effort was spilled by Collin into the path of Nurse, who tapped in from two yards to claim his second of the afternoon and 10th of the season.

Nurse could have claimed his hat-trick before the interval, but was twice denied by Collin from inside the penalty area.

Daggers took their foot off the gas in the second half, but Carlisle rarely threatened. Tony Roberts’ sole save of the afternoon came midway through the second half, when substitute Paddy Madden outmuscled defender Femi Ilesanmi, but his low drive was pushed away by the Welsh stopper.

The win was finally sealed on 84 minutes when Daggers broke forward and Akinde squared to the unmarked Green who drove low across goal and into the bottom corner.

The winger’s afternoon turned sour moments later, when he saw red for a second bookable offence that will see him miss Saturday’s crucial game at Peterborough.

That could not take the gloss of Daggers’ afternoon, but following the news of Walsall’s 2-0 win against Charlton, John Still’s side remain in the bottom four, one point adrift with one game to play.