Bird nets Dagenham & Redbridge winner on debut

Daggers included Bird among their substitutes, following his arrival on a non-contract basis, as they went in search of a third successive National League win.

And they opened the scoring on 14 minutes when Harry Phipps headed home from Myles Weston’s great cross, having signed a new deal during the week.

The home side’s joy was shortlived, though, as Scunthorpe levelled seven minutes later through Andrew Boyce, who found the bottom corner of the net.

And Joel Taylor’s cross just evaded the head of Junior Morias as Daggers looked to regain the lead soon after.

Mo Sagaf fired over on the half-hour mark and Matt Robinson saw a shot deflected behind on 38 minutes.

Josh Walker then danced through the visiting defence but saw Marcus Dewhurst get his hands to the ball to keep it all square.

Walker was then inches away from meeting a cross into the box on 43 minutes as the ball flew wide.

The second half was only two minutes old when Daggers saw a free-kick on the edge of the box go behind for a corner.

And Robert Apter was shown a yellow card for the visitors on 52 minutes, with Phipps and Scunthorpe’s Marcus Carver both booked moments later.

Manny Onariase made a vital challenge to deny Scunthorpe a shot at goal just before the hour mark, with the visitors sending a free-kick over the bar from 25 yards midway through the half.

Morias fired straight at Dewhurst after going through on goal soon after, with Onariase then having his name taken on 73 minutes before Omar Mussa made way for debutant Bird.

And Daggers were left frustrated when Walker produced a driving run into the box eight minutes from time, but saw his cut-back intercepted by a visiting defender.

The home side were awarded a free-kick just outside the box on 85 minutes, though, and Weston’s delivery fell at the feet of Bird, who found the net.

And the new signing went close to another on 88 minutes, with his strike at goal hitting a post before Walker also struck the woodwork in stoppage time as Daryl McMahon’s men made it five games unbeaten in all competitions.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Justham, Weston, Hare, Onariase, Phipps, Taylor, Mussa (Bird 75), Robinson, Sagaf, Walker, Morias. Unused subs: E Johnson, Saunders, Zouma, Janneh.