Manager John Harding was forced to make several changes due to a catalogue of injuries; plus Cliff Hercules was serving a one match ban. If that wasn't enough, Corey Browne, Gary Crawshaw, Steve Butler, Mike Bignall and Lee Harvey were suffering from flu. At half-time the latter four all felt unwell but had to carry on; whilst Phil Mason took no further part with a hamstring problem.

Despite such a big handicap, United more than matched Dagenham & Rebridge for most of the game and could have snatched all three points, but for Dagenham keeper Calvin Haywood.

United had a lucky let-off on 13 mins when a Mark Janney shot deflected off Harvey onto a post, and shots from Paul Terry and Paul Cobb went just wide. But in an action packed first half it was United who had the better chances. Paul Wilson and Ian Rutherford struck just wide, Haywood parried from Crawshaw, and a point blank Bignall shot hit Haywood more by luck than judgement.

Early in the second half Bignall put Crawshaw through and his 14-yard drive hit the diving legs of Haywood - again he knew little about it, and Marvin Harriott's follow-up deflected off a defender and flew just over.

Dangerman Cobb wasted a couple of good chances, but with United's ill and half-fit team tiring the Daggers finished stronger. Sure enough, on 79 minutes they broke the deadlock when the impressive Janney crossed and Danny Shipp headed down to Cobb who volleyed past Brown.