York substitutes score late on to earn victory at Dagenham and Redbridge

Substitutes Lenell John-Lewis and Ollie Pearce earned York a hard-fought National League victory at Dagenham and Redbridge.

John-Lewis, a 69th-minute replacement for Dipo Akinyemi, struck 10 minutes from time and Pearce added a second 13 minutes into stoppage time to seal a 2-0 win at Victoria Road.

The home side started brightly with Tom Eastman glancing a Dion Pereira corner just wide, but York went close to the opening goal with 20 minutes gone when keeper Elliot Justham clawed Akinyemi’s rising shot out of his top corner.

Josh Rees rattled the crossbar for the hosts with a 33rd-minute volley and Tyrese Sinclair clipped the top of the goal frame at the other end as half-time approached with the deadlock unbroken.

Pereira tested City keeper Harrison Male from distance with 13 minutes remaining, but it was the visitors who took the lead in the 80th minute when John-Lewis chested the ball over the line before Pearce doubled the dose at the death.