Dagenham 1-1 Weymouth: Jake McCarthy scores late equaliser

Gordon 43

WEYMOUTH 1

McCarthy 90+2

JUBILANT Weymouth snatched a fully-merited late point at Dagenham & Redbridge courtesy of Jake McCarthy’s 92nd-minute strike.

McCarthy shot through a crowd of bodies to break Dagenham’s resolve after Bolton loanee Liam Gordon had waltzed through the Terras’ defence to earn the hosts a first-half lead.

End-to-end football ensued in the second half but Weymouth eventually made their pressure tell, coming from behind to earn a point for only the third time this season.

McCarthy’s goal was his second against the Daggers this season after his effort in December’s 3-2 defeat.

Continuity proved crucial as Weymouth were completely unchanged from the matchday squad picked for the 2-0 defeat at Wrexham on Saturday.

The Terras included former Dagenham players Ollie Harfield and Joan Luque, while former Daggers midfielder Josh Wakefield was named on the bench.

Weymouth elected not to risk duo Calvin Brooks and Sean Shields, who are nursing ankle injuries.

Scorers of several early goals themselves in recent weeks, Weymouth were this time forced onto the back foot by a fast-starting Dagenham.

Weymouth had to be alert to make two clearances in the opening four minutes, while Will Wright also fired over.

Apart from Terras’ skipper Josh McQuoid winning a corner, the hosts were completely untroubled in the opening 15 minutes.

Weymouth survived a tough opening 15 minutes Picture: MARK PROBIN

Jacob Mensah’s excellent positioning cut out a cross destined for Angelo Balanta, before striker saw a shot charged down.

Balanta then set up Scott Wilson to fire at away keeper Ethan Ross as a Daggers goal felt increasingly likely.

Weymouth did manage to get a grip on the game but star forward Andy Dallas was blocked off after Brennan Camp’s enticing cross.

The Terras enjoyed a threatening 10-minute spell from the half-hour mark as Dallas shot wide before Luque stung the palms of home keeper Elliot Justham.

Both sides skimmed the side netting before McQuoid shook off contact in the box when more dishonest players might have gone down under clear contact.

As the chances fired off the conveyor belt, Dallas glanced an awkward header wide from two yards before Wright tested Ross on the break.

Shortly after the troublesome Wright slammed a free-kick against a stout Weymouth wall, the hosts took the lead.

Gordon was allowed a free run from the halfway line right into the away box and then blasted a beauty past Ross in the 43rd minute.

Weymouth nearly responded immediately as McQuoid’s deflected shot looped wide but when the corner came to nothing the Terras were consigned to a first-half deficit.

Terras’ boss Brian Stock turned to his bench for a rare half-time sub as the ineffective Luque was replaced by Ben Thomson.

That translated into a more energetic start for the Terras, but Dagenham carried a threat on the counter as Mohammed Sagaf played a one-two before lashing over.

Charlee Adams brought down McQuoid to earn the game’s first booking, before Wilson again found the side netting when Andy Robinson was dispossessed.

Weymouth spurned their best chance of the game from their next break as Dallas was denied by Justham when one-on-one with the rebound hoisted high over the bar.

End-to-end action continued as Ross expertly saved to his left from Balanta, before Weymouth appeals for a penalty were turned down when McQuoid tumbled in the box.

Josh McQuoid, right, saw a penalty appeal waved away Picture: MARK PROBIN

Dagenham went close to a second as a free-kick took a late deflection over the bar, Sagaf later riflling wide twice in quick succession.

Weymouth tried desperately to get back on level terms but McQuoid’s route to goal was blocked before Thomson saw a half opening snuffed out.

Pierre Fonkeu, who had been quiet up to now, then forced himself past two tackles only to be denied by a late block from Wilson.

Weymouth’s promising period continued when Dean Rance and Kenny Clark lunged in to make last-ditch tackles as Weymouth pressured the hosts with two corners.

Dagenham made their first switch with 12 minutes to go and new man Adrian Clifton was immediately involved, firing a good chance into the stand.

The hosts’ defending was impressive all night and had to be once more with seven minutes left as Harfield’s teasing ball searched for a teammate.

In a frantic finish as the gaps opened up, Dallas bent wide after the Terras’ defence cleared Myles Weston’s dangerous cross.

Weymouth poured forward in the closing stages and a telling late chance came as McCarthy’s sweet strike beat Justham to earn his side a deserved point.

The dramatic draw saved Weymouth from the bottom three after King’s Lynn drew 2-2 with title contenders Hartlepool.

Dagenham: Justham, Johnson, Clark, Wright, Gordon, Sagaf (Vilhete 88), Rance, Adams, Weston, Wilson (Clifton 78), Balanta. Subs not used: Strizovic, Reynolds, McQueen.

Terras: Ross, Camp, McCarthy, McQuoid, Robinson, Dallas, Mensah, Revan, Harfield, Luque (Thomson 46), Fonkeu. Subs not used: Benfield, Leslie-Smith, Murray, Wakefield.