Post denies Mooney as Daggers prevail

Dave Mooney was a whisker away from netting his first goal in Charlton colours as the Addicks lost a private friendly at Dagenham & Redbridge 2-0 on Tuesday afternoon.

The Irish striker saw his low drive crash off the left-hand post on the stroke of half-time at Victoria Road, but the hosts sealed the win with goals either side of the break.

A contested penalty from Danny Green gave Dagenham the lead after 15 minutes before interval substitute Mark Nwokegi scored with virtually his first touch four minutes after the restart.

Mooney's low effort in between times would be the closest Charlton came to getting on the scoresheet, and home keeper Chris Lewington saved well from Scott Wagstaff and skipper Alex Stavrinou either side of the break.

The intelligent-running frontman and winger Wagstaff were both removed on the hour with an eye on the weekend trip to Carlisle United, but another 90 minutes of match action for a youthful Addicks side would have given watching first-team manager Phil Parkinson plenty to ponder.

On a mild afternoon in East London, Luke Holden drove inside before shooting the first serious chance of the afternoon wide, but it was the Daggers who drew first blood on the quarter hour.

Charlton were furious after the referee indicated a push in the box by Jack Clark on Scott, and although Darren Randolph guessed the right way, there was enough pace on Danny Green's penalty and the ball nestled in the bottom left corner.

The protests continued long after the goal, and following some good Daggers football soon afterwards, Billy Bingham drove a low shot just wide of the right post.

They went even closer moments later when, after a good move down the right, the ball eventually squirmed loose to Scott, whose shot came back off the crossbar.

Carl Jenkinson subsequently broke out of defence with real authority and slipped a great ball through for Mooney on the right.

The striker sent in a dangerous cross and a diving Tamer Tuna could not make decisive contact in the middle.

With Mooney looking lively, the visitors conjured up another god chance just after the half-hour mark as the striker collected a quick throw on the right and flashed the ball across the box.

Wagstaff was the first Addick on the scene but his shot on the stretch was well saved by sprawling home keeper Chris Lewington.

Jenkinson hoisted a shot over amid a packed penalty area after Tuna's deep free-kick was only partially cleared and on the stroke of time Charlton were a lick of paint away from levelling.

Mooney was the man denied by the upright, after wriggling free in the box to latch on to a nod down.

His shot across goal beat the keeper but came back off the left post and although he sized up the rebound, the Daggers eventually managed to smuggle the ball to safety.

Charlton began the second half brightly and an early corner was almost turned into his own net by Harley Dean before Lewington intervened to paw the ball away.

It might have been 1-1; instead it was 2-0 to the Daggers four minutes in as recently-installed substitute Nwokegi, just back from a serious knee injury, announced his come-back with a neat finish from inside the box.

Mooney, Wagstaff and Freddie Warren were all replaced on the hour, but not before the former clipped the ball across for Stavrinou who was all alone in the box, but saw his shot expertly tipped over the bar by Lewington.

After some good work from sub Harry Pell, a cross from Holden was headed out to Tuna and his low shot was saved by the home keeper.

Lewington distinguished himself with two further stops, one from Holden's header and Lewis Perkins and towering defender Jordan Anderson joined the fray before Dean got away with what looked like a clear hand-ball in the box.

England U16 skipper Jordan Cousins replaced Jenkinson for the closing five minutes and first-year Tosan Popo also came on.

Nwokegi spun and shot wide in the dying seconds and that proved the final act as the Daggers wound up 2-0 victors.

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