More injuries hurt Dagenham & Redbridge at Halifax says McMahon

And Mani Dieseruvwe put the Shaymen ahead on the hour, before Jesse Debrah sealed victory in the final minute of normal time.

Asked where it had gone wrong for his side, as a four-match unbeaten run came to an end, McMahon told the club website: “Paul McCallum, Sam Ling going off in the first half, more injuries that are going to be long-term again.

“It looks like Macca has ripped his thigh and Lingy has broke his foot. So, the team that has been one loss in seven in the last few weeks is pulled apart in the first half.

“I thought we took too long to react to that in terms of the players who came on, we lost a bit of rhythm which can happen.”

Despite the double injury blow, McMahon felt Daggers kept themselves in the hunt, but were eventually made to pay for a lapse of concentration and lack of clinical edge.

“I thought we stayed in the game well in the first half, got into the final third lots of times and should’ve done better with the ball,” he added.

“Their first goal, they’ve scored at the back post, we’ve probably watched it 20 times this week, that he goes there every single time there’s a cross. We’ve seen it over and over again.

“And even in the second half I still feel we’re not too bad in possession of the ball, we’re getting into the final third, but we lacked any real quality or killer edge in there, and that’s a disappointment.”

Tyreke Johnson made his debut midway through the second half as a replacement for Yoan Zouma, who had replaced Ling.

And McMahon found some positives in the performance of the Woking loanee, adding: “How many balls did Ty Johnson cross when he came on, 10? And we don’t get anywhere near them.

“That’s the difference, football can be as nice as it wants to be in the middle of the pitch and we were ok in there, but where it it won and lost is in both boxes and particularly in the attacking box today we weren’t good enough.”

Defeat lefts Daggers in 14th place ahead of a home meeting with fourth-placed Boreham Wood at Victoria Road on Tuesday.

And McMahon is hoping his injury-hit squad can find a response against Luke Garrard’s men, who drew with fellow promotion hopefuls Wrexham at the weekend.

“It will be a difficult game, Boerham Wood are a good team, Luke is a good manager and a friend of mine,” he said.

“I think before the game we’d lost one in seven, now we’re two in eight, so we’ve been on a good run, in good form, with all the ups and downs and problems we’ve had on the pitch in terms of injuries.

“We’ve got to regroup again and stick together. These things happen in seasons and we’ll try to put a team out Tuesday night that can go and beat Boreham Wood.”