The Daggers took six huge steps towards a play-off final at Wembley as they produced one of their finest ever performances at the LBBD Stadium.
Most of the 4,566 at the game had anticipated a closely fought encounter between two sides whose progress have matched each others over the years. Yet what they got was the most one sided League Two promotion play-off match ever played out. No club had ever scored six goals in the League Two play off competition with Crewe Alexandra registering the highest previous win; a 5-1 success over Walsall at the end of the 1992/93 season.
The plaudits will no doubt go to the strikers. Josh Scott capped a dominant performance with four goals while Paul Benson also notched two predatory strikes. However that shouldn't detract from a super display from each and every member of the team.
John Still's men were positive right from the opening kick pushing their visitors from Morecambe back from the first minute.
Their early pressure was rewarded with a goal after only four minutes. Abu Ogogo sent over a cross from which Jon Nurse got a header towards goal. Goalkeeper Barry Roche could only parry the ball a couple of yards to his left where stood Benson to poke the ball home from a couple of yards out.
Morecambe's one real chance of the first half came not long after Benson's opener. Gary Hunter knocked the ball onto Paul Mullin who hit his shot immediately. Tony Roberts was positioned well enough to make the save.
The Daggers appetite for the match was perhaps typified by a run from Ogogo that took him from the edge of his own area right to Morecambe's goal-line.
While nothing came from that run, the home side thought they might have had a penalty for a handball from Andy Parrish. The referee however disagreed with the Daggers claims.
It hardly mattered though as the Daggers doubled their advantage after 35 minutes.
The goal came from a poor clearance from Roche. Scott was the quickest to react. He outpaced Jim Bentley, drew Roche out his goal before applying a cool finish right into the bottom corner.
The home side sensed there were more goals for them. Nurse sped down the flank and set up Danny Green who pulled his shot wide.
Green also had another shot that rolled inches past the post while the Daggers had another claim for a penalty after Benson and Bentley collided in the area, only for the referee to make the same decision as he did earlier.
The second half started with the expectancy that Morecambe will be more of a force following a team talk from their manager Sammy McIlroy. There was a hint of this as Laurence Wilson pulled a volley wide of Roberts goal.
But just two minutes after the restart the Daggers got the opportunity to extend their lead. The referee did award them a spot-kick after Green was tripped inside the penalty area. Mark Arber's effort was stopped by Roche, but once again Scott reacted quickly enough to bundle home the rebound.
It rained goals after that. Scott completed his hat-trick after heading home a Green corner.
Benson then got in the act. Parrish never got enough of his attempted headed pass to his keeper and Benson pounced to clip the ball over Roche.
With a little over twenty minutes left, the Daggers scored a sixth. Scott once again stole from the ball and managed to squeeze the ball past Roche and into the net.
A confident Scott was in the mood for more goals. He unleashed a pile driver of a shot that whistled over the bar while he also had another effort from long range that bounced wide of the target.
Roberts meanwhile was called into action right at the end. He made a fine near post save to deny sub Wayne Curtis to ensure he kept a clean sheet.
The only negative for the Daggers was an injury to Scott Doe that saw him replaced by Anwar Uddin. Doe however joined his team-mates at the end of a ninety minutes that saw the Daggers take a huge advantage to Christie Park on Thursday.
Att: 4,566 (536 Morecambe)
