Hughes treble downs Daggers

A hat-trick from Jeff Hughes capped a clinical performance from Bristol Rovers at Dagenham as they romped to a 3-0 win.

After home striker Gavin Tomlin wasted two opportunities to put the Daggers in front in Saturday's League One clash at Victoria Road, they were punished on 27 minutes when Hughes walked through a series of half-hearted challenges in the area before calmly slotting past goalkeeper Tony Roberts. Further haphazard defending from the hosts allowed him his second five minutes later when confusion between Scott Doe and Romain Vincelot allowed Chris Lines to play in Hughes, who jumped to stab his shot past the advancing Roberts. The introduction of new signing Bas Savage added life to a limp home performance on 66 minutes, and Tomlin should have done better than blast at keeper Mikkel Andersen when the former Bristol City man extravagantly played him in. Rovers were deserved winners, though, and Hughes scored his third of the afternoon from the penalty spot on 87 minutes after Mark Arber brought down John Akinde when through on goal.