Dagenham & Redbridge 5 Forest Green 2

Last updated : 27 August 2003 By Footy Mad

New boy Mark Bentley continued to endear himself to the Daggers fans as he netted his second brace this season.

At the other end of his playing career Danny Shipp notched his century in this 5-2 win over Forest Rovers.

The Daggers got off to the best possible start as Paul Bruce whipped in a free-kick from the left wing which met Lee Matthews at the back post.

Mathews stroked the ball into the box and Bentley was waiting to divert the ball into the back of the net courtesy of his right boot.

Shipp doubled the Daggers lead 28 minutes in when Leon Braithwaite raced down the right touchline and sent the ball in for Shipp, who was waiting at the edge of the box. Moments before a clattering tackle came in the sturdy midfielder looped the ball goalwards and watched as it hit the post and skim in.

Bentley, not to be outdone, scored a belter five minutes later as his mazy 30-yard run ended with a rifling shot 20 yards out and left the crossbar quivering as it crashed into the net.

Rovers finally found a reply in first-half injury-time thanks to a great shot on the turn by Steve Cowe. Despite Tony Roberts going full stretch Cowe's shot just managed to curl in at the far post.

The second half didn't match the pace of the first as the Daggers started out a little more subdued.

Neil Grayson flashed a cross past an unguarded far post but Dagenham escaped unharmed. He went close again on the hour as his close-range effort bounced off the crossbar.

He then became provider 74 minutes in as Forest Green began to make ground on the lead. Grayson's cross from the right ring found Cowe, who rounded Roberts and slotted in from close range.

Just when another goal was needed for the Daggers, Shipp duly obliged with his 100th goal for the club after some superb work from Alex Meechan, the midfielder struck from the edge of a crowded box and crashed the ball into the far corner for his century.

There was just enough time for Meechan to break his Daggers duck in the 90th minute with a ten-yard belter, which almost ripped a hole in the net.