Dagenham & Redbridge (1) 1 Bath City (0) 0 – Saturday 14 February 2026
Enterprise National League South – The Chigwell Construction Stadium
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Bath City fell to defeat in their first league game for 21 days.
Dermi Lusala’s first half finish was enough for Dagenham & Redbridge in Essex.
While City enjoyed a lot of possession they failed to score in a game for the tenth time this season.
Moses Alexander-Walker and Joel Sullivan made debuts as substitutes, but Will Jenkins Davies missed out through a hamstring strain.
Dagenham made a lightning start, winning a corner inside 10 seconds and seeing Joe Haigh’s shot blocked following the resulting delivery.
City’s first set-piece caused panic in the home defence. Dan Greenslade’s delivery saw two Dagenham players take a tumble in a crowded box, Alex Fisher’s flicked towards goal was blocked by keeper Sam Howes with Kieran Parselle heading the loose ball over.
Charlie Binns kept out Haigh with an outstretched leg after the attacking midfielder outpaced Parselle before City squandered an even better one-on-one on the quarter hour mark.
Matt Bowman won the ball in midfield allowing Fisher to thread it through perfectly for Brad Ash.
With just Howes to beat, Ash’s finish was telegraphed as the keeper spread himself and blocked with his chest before William Sweet cleared under pressure.
Ash went close with an angled header after Bowman and Greenslade combined down the left, this a more difficult chance which grazed the top of the net.
Harvey Broad spooned over after receiving the ball from Stan Leech on the Dagenham left, before they made their next chance count.
The hosts were initially appealing for a penalty when Haigh theatrically fell after minimal contact from Luke Russe.
Dagenham recycled possession well with Sweet’s ball into the area chested back from Kien Connolly to Lusala, who side-footed home from eight yards when left unopposed.
It was part of a strong conclusion to the half from Lee Bradbury’s men, while the break did City good as they came out positively from the restart.
Ash’s free-kick was charged down by the wall before Howes needed to be at his best to keep out Fisher.
It stemmed from a Greenslade long throw with the striker turning in a tight space from Sam Graham’s header away before his fizzing effort was tipped around the post by Howes despite a large posse of bodies in his way.
Haigh was a couple of yards from scoring from inside his own half with an extraordinary effort. The number 11 spotted Binns off his line and tried his luck from inside the centre circle, with the ball sailing over Binns’ head before bouncing just off target.
Dagenham’s most lively player went on a mazy run before shooting too close to Binns, repeating the feat on 79 minutes with City pushing players forward leaving themselves open at the back.
Alexander-Walker’s cross was headed too close to Howes from Jack Batten, with the centre-back also nodding Joe Raynes’ corner safely off target.
Haigh should have wrapped the game up in added time. He initially found Dylan Stephenson in space in the penalty area, who skipped around Binns and pulled back for Haigh who hammered the ball into orbit when under pressure from Jordan Alves.
Fortunately for him, the miss wasn’t costly as his defence’s efforts in keeping a 13th clean sheet proved enough, succumbing City to a second straight 1-0 defeat on the road.
Att: 1259 (82 away fans)
City’s Line-Up: Binns, Raynes, Greenslade (Sullivan 82), Batten, Parselle (c), Ash, Fisher (Windsor 56), Tillson (Beardmore 77), Russe, Bowman (Alves 65), Putman (Alexander-Walker 73). Sub not used: Horsell.
Scorers: City – none; Dagenham – Lusala (38)
City Bookings: Ash (40+3), Bowman (53), Batten (58), Alves (90+1), Sullivan (90+7)
Officials: D Baines, A Ibrahim, B Khimych, L Ballinger (4th)
