Dagenham & Redbridge 3 Colchester United 4

Dominic Vose bagged a long-range brace as Colchester United came from 3-1 down to win 4-3 at League Two club Dagenham & Redbridge in the East London sunshine this afternoon.

Macauley Bonne’s early goal was soon wiped out as the Daggers built up a 3-1 lead by the hour mark, only for Vose to hit the target from distance in the 65th and 76th minutes, before substitute Jabo Ibehre tucked home a 78th minute winner.

The U’s grabbed the early initiative and both Sanchez Watt and Vose went close only on, only to be denied by former U’s keeper Mark Cousins, who had made the move to Victoria Road earlier this summer.

But Cousins was beaten on six minutes, as Bonne tucked home the rebound from close range after Craig Eastmond’s shot had been blocked.

The Daggers rallied strongly and they duly levelled in the 15th minute, via Ogogo’s header from a corner, which exposed some poor defending in the U’s ranks.

Former Colchester loanee George Porter, starting for the Daggers, fired over the bar just after the hour-mark as the hosts enjoyed a purple patch.

And the hosts did take the lead, just before the break, with Hemmings heading home a cross by Chambers.

Into the second half and the Daggers went 3-1 up on the hour mark, thanks to a cracking long-range strike from Chambers, his 25-yard left-footer giving keeper Chris Lewington no chance.

Five minutes later and the visitors reduced the arrears with another long range effort – Vose’s free-kick from the right soared into the far corner of the net, though whether he intended it as a shot or a cross was open to question.

United came close to an equaliser when Bonne has a shot blocked from close-in, following Ben Gordon’s delivery.

But the Daggers had no answer to Vose’s wonderful equaliser in the 76th minute, his stunning 35-yard shot flying into the roof of the net.

And two minutes later the U’s scored the winner. George Moncur, on as a substitute for triallist Darren Ambrose just after the hour mark, saw his shot deflected into the path of Ibehre, who buried the rebound.

Colchester United team: Lewington, Gordon, Eastman, Kent (sub Thompson, 86), Clohessy, Eastmond, Ambrose (sub Moncur, 62), Watt (sub Ibehre, 46), Sears (sub Szmodics, 74), Vose, Bonne (sub O’Donoghue, 88).