Ipswich battled through a first-half Dagenham onslaught to come from behind and thrash the minnows 4-1 in the FA Cup third-round tie at Victoria Road.

Nationwide Conference high-flyers Dagenham, bidding to become the first non-league team in 13 years to knock a top-flight side out of the competition, made a barnstorming start with a succession of corners and a tidy side-foot finish by Junior McDougald giving them a deserved 18th-minute lead.

But the Tractor Boys settled and Sixto Peralta stooped to nod home a Martijn Reuser cross in the 31st minute - with Jim Magilton lashing home a sweet 18-yard volley to give the visitors a 2-1 interval advantage.

The vital third goal arrived when Magilton rolled the ball into the path of Peralta after 62 minutes. He blasted the ball into the top left corner of Tony Roberts' goal to put the Tractors Boys in the fourth-round draw tomorrow evening.

Marcus Stewart added a cool fourth goal on his comeback from injury.

Dagenham's Victoria Road ground was packed to its 5,949-capacity as George Burley's men - boasting no fewer than seven new names in the starting XI - came onto the pitch, which easily survived a morning inspection after the overnight thaw.

Top scorer Stewart was thrown straight into the team after seven weeks out with a broken jaw, while Finidi George, away on African Nations Cup duty, joined Mark Venus (bruised thigh), Alun Armstrong (swollen ankle), Thomas Gaardsoe (ankle) and skipper Matt Holland (foot) on the injured list.

For their hosts, ex-Chelsea striker Mark Stein was sidelined with a hamstring problem.

Hermann Hreidarsson did little to calm the visitors' nerves, when, after just two minutes, he completely sliced a straightforward clearance just wide of his own goal.

Garry Hill's non-leaguers forced a string of early corners - seven in total - as the top-flight team struggled to settle.

And Victoria Road erupted after 18 minutes as the Daggers stormed into a fully-deserved lead.

Danny Hayzelden robbed Chris Makin in midfield and poked the ball through to McDougald - who last year scored the goal that almost dumped Charlton out of the FA Cup. He was the Daggers hero again as he planted a firm side-foot shot beyond Marshall's dive and into the bottom left corner, sending the 4,700 home fans into ecstasy.

However, the Premiership side did finally manage to string a decent move together after 31 minutes, which led to the equaliser.

Reuser skinned Mark Janney on the left flank and delivered a cross that Peralta stooped to head against the Daggers right post and into Tony Roberts' net.

Janney almost made amends for his defensive error with a powerful run and shot that was deflected narrowly wide of the Town goal.

At the other end, Paul Terry - brother of Chelsea's John Terry - blocked Reuser's shot from Stewart's cross.

Town took the lead with a fine goal on the stroke of half-time. Marcus Bent chested down a Hreidarsson ball forwards and Magilton cracked a sweet 18-yard half-volley past Roberts, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead.

Janney missed a great chance from 10 yards in first-half injury time, and after the break, Danny Shipp thumped an ambitious 20-yard volley wide.

However, Ipswich grabbed a vital third goal. Reuser tormented the right side of the Daggers defence and squared a pass to Magilton, who cooly rolled the ball into the path of Peralta. He blasted the ball into the top left corner of Roberts' goal.

And Stewart made it 4-1 as he raced clear and rolled the ball into the bottom corner in the 81st minute.

Teams:

Dag & Red (1) 1 Ipswich (2) 4

Dag & Red: Roberts, Rooney, Vickers, Goodwin, Smith, Heffer, Janney (McGavin 73), Terry (Brennan 72), Hayzelden (Broom 83), Shipp, McDougald.

Subs Not Used: Charlery, Gothard.

Booked: Vickers.

Goals: McDougald 18.

Ipswich: Marshall, Makin, Bramble, Hreidarsson, Brown, Magilton, Wright, Peralta (Tommy Miller 72), Reuser, Stewart (Counago 84), Marcus Bent (Naylor 64).

Subs Not Used: Branagan, Clapham.

Goals: Peralta 30, Magilton 45, Peralta 66, Stewart 81.

Att: 5,949

Ref: R Styles (Waterlooville).