A brace from Ade Azeez secured a 0-2 win for Cambridge United against Dagenham & Redbridge, as the pre-season schedule approaches its conclusion.
United were into the lead on ten minutes, Liam O’Neil delivering an excellent in-swinging corner towards the back post, where Ade Azeez continued his strong pre-season form in front of goal by powering a header into the turf and past Daggers keeper Lewis Moore.
Whilst not creating too many further opportunities, United remained comfortable with their advantage for the rest of the first half.
Dagenham only posed a real threat when a misplaced pas between Taft and Carroll allowed Chike Kandi a chance to sprint through on goal. David Forde stayed tall and simply palmed the midfielder’s strike away from danger.
The U’s were forced into one change before half time, with Emmanuel Osadebe replacing David Amoo when the winger picked up a minor knock.
United came out looking to stamp their authority on the second half early on, and were twice denied by goal line clearances when both Matt Foy and Azeez had beaten keeper Lewis Morris, but were declined the U’s second of the game by tracking defenders.
Tom Knowles came close to doubling the advantage on 69 minutes, when the youngster connected well with a shot from 15 yards out after being put through on goal by a perfect one touch pass on the volley by Jake Carroll. The strike was tipped over spectacularly by Daggers substitute keeper Tarek Najia though.
Greg Taylor was denied with yet another goal line clearance from the resulting corner, before U’s sub Ben Worman leant back slightly too much as he fired the rebound over the bar.
In the end it was Azeez who completed the scoring in the 89th minute, dispatching a penalty -which was won following dogged work by Knowles who was hauled to the ground - into the top left corner with full confidence, which marked his eighth goal of pre-season.
Dagenham & Redbridge: Moore, Hoyte (Gyasi, 65 mins), Wright, Gordon, Donovan, Swain, Kandi (Hitch, 65 mins), Romain, Harfield, Cheek (Balogun, 76 mins), Bonds (Phipps, 45 mins)
Cambridge United: Forde, Davies, Taft, Taylor, Carroll, O’Neil, Lewis, Amoo (Osadebe, 27 mins), Knowles, Foy (Worman, 64 mins), Azeez