Sutton United manager Paul Doswell hailed his team's performance against Dagenham and Redbridge as "one of our best of the season" as the U's won 2-1 thanks to second-half goals from Tommy Wright and Tom Bolarinwa.

United dominated the match, shown live on BT Sport, with their physical presence from set pieces causing the Daggers' defence all sorts of problems.

Doswell praised United's persistence after a hatful of chances went begging before Wright eventually opened the scoring with just under an hour played.

"I think by that stage we'd missed something like a dozen chances," the U's boss told SUFCtv.

"Of course you start to worry but we scored two goals in quick succession with the second one being well-worked from the training ground.

"I also felt the third or fourth goal would come. We were playing with such confidence at that point.

"But we're asking them to do a lot of work with a lot of pressing and it was a good goal from Dagenham.

"It was a bit like the Alamo for the last six or seven minutes as they threw everything at us.

"We had to defend well at the end and I thought we deserved to win."

The U's underlined just why they are considered serious title contenders by creating a series of excellent opportunities in the first half.

Craig Eastmond blazed over from four yards out to give the Daggers a dose of what lay ahead.

Shortly afterwards, Louis John's dangerous in-swinging cross was tipped onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Mark Cousins and then, following another attack, the U's defender headed inches wide from two yards out.

Impressive Wigan Athletic loanee Terel Thomas saw his goalbound shot deflected over, then Sutton skipper Jamie Collins watched as his header smacked the crossbar.

Dagenham briefly threatened after some indecisive goalkeeping from Owen Evans allowed Dan Sparkes and Andre Boucaud to shoot from close range but each time the U's threw bodies infront of the ball and cleared the danger.

Sutton wreaked further havoc from a corner when Collins teed-up John whose shot from six yards clattered the post as the team's somehow went in at half-time locked at 0-0.

Striker Michael Cheek squandered a great chance to give the visitors the lead early in the second half. The former Braintree Town marksman could only shoot straight at Evans when clean through on goal.

Harry Beautyman headed narrowly wide and then saw another effort cleared off the line by Scott Doe as the U's started to wonder if it was going to be their day.

However, they got the breakthrough their display deserved in the 58th minute when Wright pounced on a weak header from Doe to take the ball round Cousins and squeeze it into the net from a tight angle.

Just three minutes later Tom Bolarinwa put daylight between the two sides when he headed home following another fine corner from Beautyman.

Having dominated for 85 minutes, the U's found themselves with more work to do when Fejiri Okenabirhie rifled past Evans and Collins on the line to reduce the deficit and set up a nervous final few minutes.

Substitute Craig Dundas almost added a late third for the U's but his looping header over ther advancing Cousins was pushed off the line by the Dagenham goalkeeper who made a fine recovery.

The result sees Sutton stay in third place on goal difference from Aldershot Town with 16 games remaining.

The U's travel to struggling Barrow this Saturday (January 27), 3pm.