Nationwide Conference
16 August 2003

From the Nationwide Conference Website

IT WAS St Marks day in Dagenham as Mark Stein grabbed a hat-trick and Mark Bentley netted a brace as the Daggers quite literally made their mark on yet another title campaign.

Barnet replied with a late rally where Giuliano Grazioli found the net twice, once from the penalty spot.

Bentley opened his account for his new club 29 minutes in after a superb build up. Mark Janney's ball fell to Chris Piper who saw his effort parried away leaving Leon Braithwaite to knock the ball down into Bentley's path and he was never going to miss such a great opportunity from ten yards.

Bentley's goals are rather like buses as five minutes later the second one arrived. Paul Bruce's corner met Bentley's head on the near post and after the simplest of flicks he was suddenly the Daggers top scorer so far this season.

Second Half

That was to be short lived though as Mark Stein nipped the first of three to claim back his title 58 minutes in. Bruce sent the ball cruising into his path and leading Danny Maddix on the deck Stein slotted home at the far post.

Only three minutes passed between goals this time and Bentley became provider for his name sake leaving Stein to grab his second from ten yards out.

Barnet finally flat found a reply 70 minutes in, but even that was a gift from a sloppy Ashley Vickers backpass. Grazioli nipped onto the ball and lobbed it over Tony Roberts head to get the Bees off the mark.

It looked like a comeback was on the cards when Lee Mathews pulled down Guy Lopez in the box and the referee awarded a penalty. Grazioli stepped up to convert it but that was the end of their comeback as this was a day that belonged to the Daggers as they were lifted from 21st to 14th in the table.

Dagger's manager Gary Hill said: "Barnet have had some good results this season so we knew it would be a tough game but after ten minutes it was all one-way traffic."

Match Photos

Click here for action photos from the game.

Stats

From Press Association (Note, these won't appear until the first Thursday after the game).

Bookings

Barnet

I.Yakabu, 82, persistent infringement

Dagenham & Redbridge

None

Teams

Barnet

D.Naisbitt, C.Plummer (I.Yakabu 78), S.King, D.Maddix, I.Hendon, T.Taggart, M.Rooney (M.Williams 46), J.Gamble, L.Hogg (G.Lopez 62), B.Strevens, G.Grazioli

Unused substitutes: N.Sylla, R.Millard

Dagenham & Redbridge

T.Roberts, L.Matthews, T.Mustafa, A.Vickers, M.Smith, P.Bruce, M.Bentley, C.Piper (D.Shipp 79), M.Janney (L.Piper 86), M.Stein, L.Braithwaite (A.Meechan 76)

Unused substitutes: J.Pullen, T.Cole

Other Reports

DiggerDagger.com
DaggerNet
BBC

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