Dagenham & Redbridge downed by late Oldham double

Captain Matt Robinson looked to have rescued a point for his side eight minutes from time, but Daggers conceded twice in the closing stages to finish empty-handed.

And defeat leaves them behind seventh-placed Boreham Wood, having played one game more.

Daggers announced the signing of striker Inih Effiong for an undisclosed fee from Aldershot prior to kick-off and included him among their substitutes at Boundary Park.

And after a fairly uneventful opening period they saw Omar Mussa go close on 20 minutes, following great work from Junior Morias on the left.

The visitors got their noses in front on the half-hour mark when the ball found its way to Morias after some scrappy play and he found the bottom left corner of the net.

But Oldham were back on level terms 11 minutes into the second half when Nathan Sheron netted from long range, after Dan Gardner’s cross was only half-cleared.

And things got worse for Daggers on the hour when Josef Yarney put the home side in front with a bullet header from a corner.

Daryl McMahon sent Effiong and George Saunders on for Paul McCallum and Mussa, but it might have got worse still, as Oldham were awarded a penalty on 64 minutes when Alex Reid was fouled in the box.

Elliot Justham kept the visitors in the game, though, by saving the spot-kick from Joe Nuttall and Daggers replaced Manny Onariase with Angelo Balanta for the final quarter of an hour.

Nuttall nearly made amends for his missed penalty when he hit the woodwork for Oldham, but Daggers drew level eight minutes from time through skipper Robinson.

Their joy was shortlived, however, as the home side were awarded their second penalty of the night as normal time drew to a close and Nuttall made no mistake this time.

Ellis Chapman added a fourth in stoppage time to rub salt into the wounds and send Daggers all the way back to east London empty-handed, ahead of a home date with Solihull Moors on Saturday.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Justham, Ling, Longe-King, Onariase (Balanta 75), Johnson, Weston, Rance, Robinson, Mussa (Saunders 63), Morias, McCallum (Effiong 63). Unused subs: Taylor, Ibie.

Attendance: 5,100 (including 35 Daggers fans).