League Two: Southend United 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 1

Rhys Murphy’s seventh goal of the season proved the difference as Daggers saw off 10 man Southend at Roots Hall.

Southend were reduced to 10 men after Mark Phillips was deemed to have lunged in on Murphy after 26 minutes and the former Arsenal man slotted in the winner five minutes later.

Daggers boss Wayne Burnett made two changes from the side which drew 2-2 at Northampton on Saturday with Jack Connors and Billy Bingham in for Femi Ilesanmi and Chris Dickson respectively.

And it was the visitors who started the brighter as Luke Howell was put through on goal but he squandered the chance and the ball trickled wide.

They were almost made to pay up the other end though as Scott Doe fired Will Atkinson’s cross back towards his own goal but Chris Lewington reacted quickly to save.

Zavon Hines was putting in another strong performance and forced home skipper John White to bring him down twice in quick succession, and went into referee James Linnington’s book.

But Linnington was writing in his book once again on 26 minutes as he showed Shrimpers centre half Mark Phillips a straight red for a late tackle on Murphy.

And the Daggers made the most of their numerical advantage almost instantly as Murphy beat the offside trap and lobbed goalkeeper Daniel Bentley and despite Ben Coker’s last ditch attempt the ball trickled over the line.

Daggers were on the attack from the off in the second period and Murphy fired an effort just over the bar from 20 yards, while at the other end Lewington did well to tip over Cauley Woodrow’s long range strike.

But Burnett’s side should have wrapped up the game when Abu Ogogo saw a shot saved by Bentley but the rebound fell to Elito but he fired wide.

Southend piled on the pressure as the game approached the closing stages but the Daggers dealt with everything the hosts threw at them.

Southend United: Bentley, White, Coker, Phillips, Corr (Payne 77), Atkinson, Hurst (Eastwood 67), Kiernan, Clifford (Straker 72), Leonard, Woodrow.

Unused substitutes: Smith, Prosser, Timlin, Njie.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Lewington, Connors, Saah, Wilkinson (Saunders 58), Doe, Ogogo, Howell, Ogogo, Bingham, Elito (Dickson 81), Hines, Murphy (Obafemi 88).

Unused substitutes: Seabright, Ilesanmi, Scott, Shields

Attendance: 4,523 (405 Daggers fans)