Bromley’s play off hopes suffered another blow as they were beaten by Dagenham & Redbridge at Hayes Lane on Saturday afternoon thanks to two second half goals in a disappointing performance from Andy Woodman’s team.
Bromley got off to a lively start with Louis Dennis and Jude Arthurs causing The Daggers problems, Dennis set up Michael Cheek who shot wide and then Corey Whitely crossed for George Alexander whose shot at the far post was saved by Elliot Justham.
Dagenham then settled and got back into the game, Junior Morais putting in a dangerous ball that Joe Partington headed to safety and from the resulting corner Ellery Balcombe punched the ball away from under the crossbar and out for a throw on.
Paul McCallum then forced another good save from Balcombe at his near post and following a shot corner routine Will Wright had a shot from the edge of the area tipped over by the busy Bromley keeper.
Just before the break The Ravens rallied and a great ball from James Vennings found Dennis in the box, but his low shot was saved by Justham’s legs.
There was still time for The Daggers to press again though with a slick passing move involving Callum Reynolds, Mohammed Sagaf & Myles Weston setting up Mauro Vilhete whose headed at the far post brought out another great save from Balcombe.
The second half saw Dagenham start on the front foot and they went in front after 47 minutes when a Wright corner from the left was headed home by McCallum who was completely unmarked at the far post.
Weston shot wide soon after and Vilhete had an effort saved by Balcombe, while Bromley’s lone chance saw Arthurs cross for Cheek who blazed wide from 20 yards out.
Woodman rang the changes on the hour bringing on James Alabi & Connor Parsons, but it was Daryl McMahon’s team who continued to look the most likely to add to their lead. McCallum fired wide after good work from Weston and then Mat Robinson was just off target when connecting with a pass from Sagaf.
The Daggers continued to press with Chris Bush and Partington making goal saving blocks in the area. Robinson set up Junior Morais and the former St Mirren striker shot narrowly wide, before their dominance paid off on 76 minutes when a passing move saw Morais receive the ball on the edge of the box and he was given time and space to coolly find the bottom right hand corner of the net and make it 2-0.
Parsons had a shot saved for The Ravens, but that’s all they managed to create and as McCallum fired wide from long range after some ponderous defending from Bromley there was an exodus of home fans leaving for the exits.
In injury time Bromley had one final chance when a Billy Bingham free kick from out wide found Cheek in the area, but his header was saved by Justham to keep the visitors’ clean sheet and seal a well earned three points for Dagenham who move up to eighth.
The defeat leaves Bromley in eleventh place, nine points off the play offs and without a National League win in ten matches as they prepare for their Good Friday trip to Eastleigh.
Bromley: Balcombe, Partington, Webster, Bush, Arthurs, Bingham, Dennis, Vennings (Parsons 60), Whitely, Cheek, Alexander (Alabi 60).
Subs Not Used: Trotter, Cawley, Al-Hamadi.
Dagenham: Justham, Reynolds, Wright, Sagaf, McCallum, Weston, Robinson, Vilhete (Johnson 90), Morais (Walker 88), Comley, Onoraise.
Subs Not Used: Rance, Ling, Hare.
Ref: David Richardson
HT 0-0 FT 0-2
Goals: McCallum 47mins, Morais 76mins.
Att: 1,674