Macclesfield Town 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 4

Last updated : 20 December 2008 By Footymad Previewer
Lacklustre Macclesfield were taken apart by a clinical Dagenham side who looked to have ambitions for a new year promotion push.

The game was as good as over after 20 minutes with Dagenham bagging three early goals - and they could have had more.

The opener came on four minutes when a Matt Ritchie free-kick was pulled back across goal by Magnus Okuonghae for Paul Benson to score on the slide at the near post.

Dagenham added their second just two minutes later when a 25-yard drive from Solomon Taiwo took a wicked looping deflection to leave Jonny Brain stranded.

The Londoners could have made it three on eight minutes when Benson mis-cued an easy chance from six yards as a Ritchie cross split open the Cheshire side's defence.

The third, however, came on 18 minutes when centre-back Okuonghae strolled forward before seeing his 30-yard volley tipped onto the crossbar by Brain for Benson to scuff home his second and his 16th of the season from close range.

Dagenham were gifted their fourth goal on 47 minutes when Sam Saunders picked up an appalling back pass from Nat Brown before rounding the keeper and slotting home his eighth of the season.

Saunders could have had another on 67 minutes but fired over the bar from 15 yards.

Dagenham were stroking the ball around the park like it was a training game with Saunders and Ritchie lining up shots in the closing stages which Brain could only parry wide.

Macclesfield barely had a shot on target all game, with Gareth Evans the only player to force a save from Tony Roberts with an early drive from a narrow angle.