Arber penalty is Dagger through the heart for Cherries (From Bournemouth Echo)

Arber penalty is Dagger through the heart for Cherries

4:55pm Saturday 13th February 2010 in

By Neil Perrett »

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MARK Arber’s disputed first-half penalty dented Cherries’ revival as Dagenham & Redbridge upset the apple cart at Victoria Road.

Cherries headed to east London bidding to extend to five their unbeaten run, while the Daggers were looking to avoid a fifth successive defeat.

And the contest was settled when Daggers skipper Arber netted from the spot after Steve Fletcher had been judged to have shoved Peter Gain six minutes before half-time.

Marvin Bartley was pressed into action as an emergency central defender, the midfielder deputising for the stricken Ryan Garry, who was ruled out by a groin injury.

Josh McQuoid was the only change to the starting line-up following the midweek win over Notts County, although Garry’s absence forced Jason Tindall on to the bench.

Arber’s 39th-minute spot kick separated the sides at the interval, a turgid opening period having been largely forgettable from the visitors’ point of view.

Daggers’s uncompromising route-one approach proved both ugly and effective as Howe’s men were forced to defend in numbers for long periods.

With proceedings underwhelming in their lack of quality, chances were few and far between during the first half as the match ball took a relentless pounding.

And when it was eventually treated with any respect, Brett Pitman’s caressed effort cleared the crossbar after a Rhoys Wiggins corner had been flicked into his path.

Earlier, Jason Pearce had headed straight into the arms of Daggers goalkeeper Tony Roberts, while Paul Benson had arrived to guide a Graeme Montgomery centre past the upright.

Arber’s weak header presented Pitman with a sight of goal on 35 minutes, only for Scott Doe to intervene and deprive the Cherries striker of a shooting opportunity.

Referee Oli Langford pointed to the spot after deeming Fletcher had nudged Gain, with Arber making no mistake from 12 yards.

Josh Scott and Montgomery both sent shots past the post early in the second half, while Liam Feeney’s snapshot was carried out for a corner by Roberts.

A swift break by Daggers ended with Gain sweeping a left-foot drive wide of the target after Montgomery had countered following a Cherries corner.

Roberts saved from Pitman’s header before Cherries had a double let-off when Benson’s thunderous drive came crashing back off the underside of the crossbar.

And after the loose ball had fallen to Montgomery, he saw his goalbound follow-up from a tight angle hacked off the line by an alert Bartley.

As the chances continued to come at both ends during a vastly-improved second period, Danny Green blazed well wide from the edge of the box.

A Wiggins free kick eventually fell to Anton Robinson, although his hurried shot failed to test Roberts before the Cherries midfielder then fired over from distance.

Cherries’ hopeful penalty appeal fell on deaf ears following a frantic goalmouth scramble before Scott was denied by Jalal’s top-drawer save late on.

Jalal’s outstanding double save thwarted Scott on the stroke of full-time before Cherries failed to create a chance of note during four minutes of added time.

Cherries (4-4-2): Jalal; Bradbury, Pearce, Bartley, Wiggins; McQuoid, Robinson, Hollands, Feeney (Connell, 70); Pitman, Fletcher.

Unused subs: Goulding, Cummings, Tindall, Thomas (g/k).

Booked: Bartley.

Daggers (4-4-2): Roberts; Ogogo, Doe, Arber, McCrory; Green (Nurse, 84), Gain, Pack, Montgomery; Benson, Scott.

Unused subs: Currie, Vincelot, Spiller, Tejan-Sie, Walsh, Lewington (g/k).

Booked: Ogogo, Pack.

Referee: Oli Langford (West Midlands).

Attendance: 2,215 (including 743 away supporters).

Comments(27)

terry1965 says...
5:03pm Sat 13 Feb 10

How predictale was this result after such a good win in midweek?
Why is it AFC cannot build on a good run?
Ok so the ref cheated us for their penalty by the sound of it, but having listened to the commentary we created virtually nothing in the second half when we should have been pegging them back.
D & R should have instead scored a hatful second half.
Rotherham won but at least Bury lost, so with two home games to come it's back to needing consecutive victories to remain in second place.