V 
Dagenham and Redbridge v Chester City,Saturday 4th November,2000
Nationwide Conference League
Dagenham and Redbridge 1 v 1 Chester City att:1244
Shipp(72) Porter(87)
In another lackluster display City save a point thanks to Andy Porter in a day of violence.
From 4 miles outside Dagenham the tone was set for the rest of the day.The supporters coach on the approach to the ground was met by road rage as a Londerner hurled a screwdriver at the coach after he cut the coach up in his car only to be met by the prospect of being punched to tin buck two as half the bus got out to him including Carl the bus driver who is indeed a very big lad!.The violent behaviour was replicated on the pitch as City players found themselves in various brawls and endured dreadful tackles coming from everywhere as the extremly dire referee lost control.City again though through away 2 points as they could only force a draw against a poor Dagenham side who`s only serious shot put them 1 up.
The first half saw very little happenings as both defences where on top.The only moment worth talking about was in the last second of the half as Steve Whitehall hit a shot which went in the top corner only to find it disalowed as the ever controversial referee blew for half time as the ball was in mid flight.The second half had alot more to talk about,the hosts went one up on 72 minutes when a scramble in the blues box resulted in Danny Shipp heading in from 2 yards out after Neil Fisher had cleared a Steve Heffer header off the line.The blues then suddenly woke up,it seems as though they need to go one down to suddenly start playing these days.Steve Whitehall and Martyn Lancaster came close to scoring before three minutes from time Andy Porter hit a cracker past Roberts in the Dagenham goal who had come in for alot of stick throughout the second half to level matters.What followed was disgraceful as nearly every player on the pitch was involved in a brawl.Unbelievably the referee didn`t send anyone off even though one Dagenham player was seen throwing numerous punches at City players.From then untill the end of the game the referee lost control as 10 bookings where dished out mainly to Dagenham players who`s disipline left alot to be desired as they through rash challenges in left,right and centre.This resulted in nearly 10 minutes injury time being played but City still couldn`t find a winner as they dropped another 2 points on the leaders.
I hate to be un-optimistic but I think now the promotion challenge is over as City have drawn to many games against poor teams who should be beaten.I hope I am led to eat my words in May but 14 points behind leaves alot of catching up to be done for a blues team who only wake up in the last 15 minutes of a game.
Man Of The Match:Andy Porter - Worked hard in midfield and scored a cracker to level the sides
Chester-Brown,Lancaster(Fisher 51),Doughty,Woods,Ruffer,P. Beesley,Carden,Blackburn(Ruscoe 80),M.Beesley(Wright 59),Whitehall,Porter
Dagenham-Roberts,Cole,Broom,Goodwin,Matthews,Terry,Janney,Cobb(McDougald 55),Shipp(Keen 86),Heffer,Jones
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