The visitors did start brightly however and at a high tempo, creating the first chance of the match which fell to the division's top scorer Paul Benson. A ball was lifted cleverly over the top of the Notts defence and Benson ran onto it but could only flash his half volley wide of debutant Kasper Schmeichel's post. Notts began to dicate the game however with Ben Davies finding space in midfield and nearly playing Lee Hughes in on goal, but the ball just ran away from Notts' leading scorer and out for a goal kick.
Will Antwi had the next effort for the visitors from an outswinging Danny Green corner, but the big defenders attempt was well off target. There was a brief scare for the Magpies when Neal Bishop, who sustained a chest injury last week at Macclesfield, was brought down by Solomon Taiwo, but the Notts midfielder was soon back on his feet, much to the relief of the Meadow Lane crowd. The hosts' first clear cut chance of the match was created soon after, Ben Davies playing in Lee Hughes down the right, but his teasing cross was headed over the bar by Karl Hawley from the edge of the six yard box.
Notts were starting to really put the pressure on a Dagenham defence which had shipped three to Torquay United the previous weekend and Johnnie Jackson nearly played in Karl Hawley on the half hour mark, but Hawley's shot was well closed down by Mark Arber. Ricky Ravenhill had a stinging effort from the edge of the box blocked too, before Notts had another golden chance to take the lead. Will Antwi totally misjudged a backpass and Lee Hughes seemed to latch onto it, but the ball was travelling at just enough pace to ensure that the stretching Hughes couldn't quite get enough on the ball to lift it over Tony Roberts, who made a good save.
The breakthrough did finally come however, just before the half-time interval. Johnnie Jackson was brought down on the left hand flank to give Notts an inviting looking free-kick opportunity, with Ben Davies already having laid on a good number of goals from positions like this already. He stepped up and whipped in a teasing delivery which just needed a touch and Lee Hughes was happy to oblige, glancing the ball past Roberts before setting off to 'do the Hughesy' infront of the Kop. The confidence seemed to drain out of the Daggers after this and Notts added a second almost immediately, a hopeless attempt at playing the offside trap allowed Davies to play in Hughes and he had the simple task of squaring the ball to Karl Hawley to tap home to double Notts' lead seconds before the break.
Notts will have been happy with their first half efforts although the visitors once again started the half on the front foot with a succession of corners, all of which were repelled by a strong Magpies back-line. Solomon Taiwo had the Daggers' first effort on target also, but Kasper Schmeichel took the shot with ease much to the delight of the home crowd. The early stages of the second half were fairly uneventful, with Notts keeping the ball well without ever really threatening a third goal, although Hughes did make some clever runs in behind only to be adjudged offside on a couple of occasions.
The killer third goal was to come on the hourmark however, with Johnnie Jackson notching his first strike for the club. Davies and Hughes, who were at the centre of everything for Notts, combined and Hughes dinked a clever through ball into the path of Jackson who took the ball down on his chest and lifted a delicate shot over Tony Roberts and into the net to seal the three points for the Magpies. Jackson's afternoon was over shortly after his goal, having not played much football in pre-season he was given a rest and replaced by Craig Westcarr, who had started Notts' first two games this season.
Ravenhill had a volley from the edge of the box well saved by Roberts shortly after, before Jon Nurse came on for the Daggers and Luke Rodgers was given a run-out for the Magpies, replacing one of the goalscorers Karl Hawley. Rodgers' impact was immediate as he picked up the ball, danced away from two challenges and hit a curling, rasping shot which was tipped round the post by the flailing Tony Roberts. Notts made their final substition of the afternoon after Rodgers' effort, with Matt Hamshaw getting a run out in place of Ben Davies, who had pulled all the strings in midfield for the home side.
Hamshaw nearly set up a goal for his first touch, but Craig Westcarr couldn't make the most of a clever through ball, before Dagenham came as close as they did all afternoon to grabbing a goal. Substitute Wes Thomas beat Stephen Hunt and fired in a low cross which deceived everyone before bouncing off the inside of the far post and being scrambled away to safety by the Notts defence, who had just about kept their clean sheet in tact. Kasper Schmeichel nearly gained himself a debut assist with a long goal kick, which put Luke Rodgers in on goal, but the angle was tight for the Notts substitute and the ball was smothered by Roberts in the Dagenham goal.
The final action of the match came in injury time, with Craig Westcarr flashing a low free-kick across the face of goal and narrowly wide of the far post. The final whistle blew to confirm another job well done and impressive home performance from Ian McParland's side, with more good news coming in the shape of defeats for Cheltenham Town and Bournemouth, which meant that the Magpies returned to the summit of League Two after being knocked off in midweek. It also meant that no side remains unbeaten in the division after four games, showing just how open it is going to be this season. Next up for Notts is a tricky trip to North London next Saturday, to face Ian Hendon's Barnet at Underhill. For all the previews and information you need, keep tuned to NCM throughout the week.
Notts County - Schmeichel, Moloney, Edwards, Thompson, Hunt, Davies (Hamshaw), Bishop, Ravenhill, Jackson (Westcarr), Hughes, Hawley (Rodgers)
Notts County 3 (Hughes 42, Hawley 44, Jackson 62)
Dagenham & Redbridge 0
Attendance - 6,562 (182 Dagenham)