DUNMOW picked up their first win of 2011 after another spirited team performance despite missing five regular first teamers.

Sparta Basildon 0 Dunmow FC 3

DUNMOW picked up their first win of 2011 after another spirited team performance despite missing five regular first teamers.

Goals from Lee Waddingham, Will Green, and a Jamie Smith penalty sealed the points for the visitors.

Dunmow took advantage of winning the toss by selecting to play down a fairly sizable slope at Basildon in the first half and quickly pushed Basildon back with Waddingham and Alex Byatt controlling the midfield.

The movement of strikers Michael Church and Green caused Basildon great concern with both beating the offside trap consistently; however it was from an attack down the left wing that Dunmow were to profit from.

Winger Scott Geraghty played the ball to Green who had pulled out wide to support and he was unceremoniously hacked down by the Basildon right back. With Green off the pitch receiving treatment Dunmow fired across the free kick which was collected on the far right wing by Church who hit a sweet cross for Waddingham who arrived unmarked on the far post to beat the keeper with a crisp volley.

Dunmow’s high octane effort was maintained and Basildon were finding it difficult to launch any attacks on the visitor’s goal.

Good work by the centre back pairing of Smith and Matthew Coopersmith ensured any attacks were efficiently snuffed out. Church, working hard in supporting the central midfield released Green with an exquisite through ball and Green finished calmly past the advancing keeper to make it 2-0 after 35 minutes.

Dunmow continued to press the advantage of the slope and Geraghty made a lung bursting run down the left wing, beating two Basildon defenders only to be brought down in the box. Smith stepped up and dispatched an unstoppable penalty that found the net via the left hand post and Dunmow went in at the break 3-0 up.

As expected the second half saw Dunmow having to defend substantially more as Basildon now had the advantage of the slope. After five minutes, stand in keeper Ian Hicks made an excellent point blank save for Dunmow who were at times fortunate not to concede a consolation goal.

Next: Dunmow face Battlesbridge at the Recreation Ground on Saturday in the semi-final of the Divisional Cup. Kick off 1.30pm.