IF DAGENHAM are to survive their maiden season in League One then they must start turning one point into three when the opportunity presents itself against a fellow struggler.

John Still’s side dominated for much of the first half against a Walsall team lying just one place above them before kick-off.

The second half was a far more even affair, and despite the Daggers creating enough chances to win, they were forced to settle for a draw after what manager Still described as some ‘soft defending’, allowed Walsall to claim a point.

The result left the Daggers just one point and one place above bottom side Tranmere, but there were enough positives to take from this latest display to suggest they may start climbing the table sooner rather than later.

Veteran keeper Tony Roberts was called into action early on, first to push Matt Richards’ 30-yard free-kick round the post and minutes later to deny Martin Devaney whose low drive brought out the best in the 41-year-old stopper.

On 26 minutes the visitors were punished for their wastefulness when Bas Savage took advantage of some hesitation from full-back Ryan McGivern and fed Danny Green, whose cross was met perfectly by Darren Currie who powered his header past Jonny Brain to put Dagenham in front.

It was almost two moments later when Green’s superbly struck free-kick rattled the Walsall crossbar.

The home side went close again on the stroke of half-time when Damian Scannell toyed with the Walsall defence before picking out Currie unmarked on the edge of the box, but the midfielder curled harmlessly over.

The Saddlers left the pitch at half-time to a chorus of boo’s, but their mood soon changed on 50 minutes when Jon Macken found Devaney in space on the edge of the Dagenham box and his first time effort wrong-footed Roberts to level the score.

With both sides conscious of the need to win the game began to open up and top-scorer Romain Vincelot went close when his header was cleared off the line by David Davis.

There were further chances for the home side to score in the final ten minutes through Savage and Green, but Dagenham could not beat keeper Brain.

They almost paid the ultimate price when Reuben Reid’s deflected effort trickled past Roberts, but the post came to Dagenham’s rescue ensuring the home side earned their fifth draw of the season.