Dagenham 1 Crystal Palace 2: Eagles lift off slowly with unconvincing Daggers win
Austrian trialist Atdhe Nuhiu was on target as newly-promoted Crystal Palace edged past Dagenham and Redbridge at Victoria Road.
The 6ft 6in striker – of Albanian descent – impressed for the Eagles as he linked up well upfront with veteran striker Kevin Phillips – who has just signed a new one-year deal with the club.
Nuhiu, 23, was linked with West Ham earlier in the summer and after this performance he will be hopeful of tying up a deal to play for the south London side in the Premier League.
On the ball: Dagenham’s Rhys Murphy shield from Crystal Palace’s Danny Gabbidon
The Eagles contained five players with Premier League experience and looked in control throughout at the home of the League Two side.
Dagenham – who narrowly avoided relegation from League Two last season – went into the game in impressive pre-season form with just one defeat in six games, scoring 18 goals in the process.
Palace – who have made five summer signings so far – started the brighter and went close to scoring after just eight minutes when free agent Nuhiu had his goal-bound shot cleared off the line by Daggers trialist Brian Saah.
Warming up: Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wilbraham
Goalscorer: Crystal Palace trialist Athuha Nuhiu
Palace should have then taken the lead when Nuhiu nodded it on for Phillips, but the experienced striker fired narrowly over the bar.
Moments later Stephen Dobbie – who played under Ian Holloway at Blackpool – forced Daggers keeper Chris Lewington into two superb saves, before the Premier League outfit deservedly took the lead in the 34th minute.
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie – a former Arsenal youth product – set-up trialist Nuhiu who struck home from close range.
Palace doubled the lead shortly after the break when Quade Taylor was taken down in the box, with Owen Garvan making no mistake from the penalty spot.
The Daggers got themselves back into the game when Medy Elito finished confidently from the spot in the 68th minute after Taylor had fouled former West Ham striker Zavon Hines in the area, but Palace were not to be denied victory.
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