RUTHLESS DAGGERS MAKE THE STONES PAY

DAGENHAM & Redbridge dished out a lesson in finishing as they heaped more misery on a stuttering Maidstone side who remain entrenched in the relegation zone.

The Stones more than matched their visitors for long spells but a number of missed chances were duly punished by efforts from Nathan Smith and Conor Wilkinson either side of the break before sub Lamar Reynolds wrapped it up in stoppage time.

“The result was perfect,” said Dagenham’s assistant manager Terry Harris. “But I wouldn’t say the performance was.

“We could have been two or three down in the first 15 minutes.

“Full credit to Maidstone, they were a totally different side to the one I saw play against Maidenhead on Tuesday. It was a very good result.”

Maidstone’s profligacy early on blighted a storming start from Tristan Lewis and Simon Walton’s men. Elliott Romain tested Daggers keeper Elliot Justham with a rising shot just over the bar in the opening exchanges before Justham again pushed the ball behind to somehow deny Josh Taylor.

Jake Robinson then unexpectedly gained possession inside the box and perhaps should have got his shot away quicker as his slight hesitation allowed the otherwise rock solid Kenny Clark to get across and deflect the ball over the bar.

But as has been the case all too often this season, the Stones found themselves trailing against the run of play. A Dagenham corner was only cleared away as far as Angelo Balanta, who delivered a cross into the unmarked Smith, who headed the ball in from close range with ease. The Stones should have drawn level not long after the break. Romain did well to win the ball and race into the box but with only Justham to beat, his effort was weak and the Dagenham keeper had no difficulty with the save. Indeed, this was to prove costly as on 73 minutes when Dagenham doubled their lead. Wilkinson, who this week signed for the club permanently from Gillingham, was allowed time to roam into the box and dispatch a confident finish past Ethan Ross. Dan Wishart then hit the bar for the Stones before the Daggers wrapped it up – Alex McQueen putting fellow sub Reynolds clear and he coolly placed a fine finish past Ross. “That is probably one of our best performances this season but we have lost 3-0,” Walton moaned. “I can’t be critical of the players but the harsh reality is that result proves why we are where we are. “Dagenham probably only had four shots all game and they scored from three of them.”

STAR MAN: Kenny Clark (Dagenham & Redbridge) ATT: 2,188 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Sam Allison 6/10