Gillingham couldn’t follow up Boxing Day’s win at Crawley with another as they ended their nine game unbeaten run at Dagenham.

It had been the perfect start for The Gills with Danny Kedwell putting the visitors in front with just seven minutes gone for his tenth of the season.

The lead lasted just fifteen minutes though when Billy Bingham let fly from outside the box giving Gills keeper Ross Flitney no chance.

The second half was to be even worse for The Gills and it came as no surprise when the Daggers took the lead in the 65th minute when Brian Woodall curled the ball home from the edge of the area to steal all the points.

Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler had the luxury of having to make just the one change to his starting line up with skipper Andy Frampton deemed fit enough to start replacing the injured Matt Fish.

That saw Matt Lawrence shift across to right back with Frampton partnering Garry Richards in the heart of the defence.

It was The Gills that started the brighter of the two sides and they were rewarded for their efforts on seven minutes when Daggers keeper Chris Lewington failed to hold a routine ball and despite saving from Chris Whelpdale, the ball fell kindly to Danny Kedwell who had the easiest of chances firing home for 1-0.

It could have been so much better for Gillingham in the next ten minutes or so with Kedwell and Garry Richards both denied by Lewington before Danny Jackman saw his corner some straight back off the post.

Failing to double the lead proved costly for The Gills as on 22 minutes Billy Bingham picked the ball up on the edge of the area and without hesitation he swept it home past the stranded Flitney.

Both sides went on to have chances late on in the first half with Kedwell firing just wide, while Flitney was on hand to dent Jon Nurse at the other end.

With the rain beginning to take its toll on the pitch and the quality of football on show, Chris Whelpdale proved to be Gillingham’s saviour early in the second half when he cleared former Gills defender Richard Rose’s effort off the line.

Meanwhile, it was another former Gills player, Kevin Maher, who was pulling the strings for the Daggers in midfield, but it was he that allowed Curtis Weston to run free before seeing his effort go just wide.

As the game began to get scrappy as both sides failed to deal with the conditions, the home side took the lead when Brian Woodall was allowed too much space on the edge of the area giving him the chance to curl the ball past Flitney.

The introduction of Lewis Montrose, Stefan Payne and latterly Dennis Oli failed to give Gillingham the spark they needed and despite being buoyed on by over 1,300 travelling fans, the visitors failed to find the all important equaliser and had to head back across the Dartford Bridge without anything to show for their efforts.

FULL TIME: DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 2-1 GILLINGHAM

So, Gillingham end 2011 with a defeat and end Friday in sixth place in League Two with Aldershot to visit Priestfield next on Bank Holiday Monday.

Dagenham line up: Lewington, Rose, Doe, Spillane, Ilesanmi, Maher, Bingham, Dom Green, Montano, Woodall, Nurse.

Subs not used: Hogan, DJ Green, Geohaghon, Elito, Cunnington.

Goals: Bingham (22), Woodall (65).

Booked: Woodall (17), Montano (72).

Gillingham line up: Flitney, Lawrence, Richards, Frampton, Martin (Montrose 73), Whelpdale, J Payne, Weston (S Payne 84),

Jackman, Kuffour, Kedwell (Oli 89).

Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Rance.

Goal: Kedwell (7).

Booked: Richards (42), Lawrence (66), Frampton (73).

Referee: Mr Miller

Attendance: 3,120 (1,302 Gills)