We lacked the ‘cutting edge’ insists Dagenham & Redbridge manager Daryl McMahon as they fell to a second consecutive defeat in the National League with a 1-0 loss to Eastleigh.

A 66th minute goal from Danny Whitehall proved to be the difference between the two sides at Victoria Road on Tuesday evening.

Eastleigh did have a penalty which was denied by goalkeeper Elliot Justham to help bolster Daggers chances in the game.

“Disappointing, very disappointing, I think on Saturday we looked back at the game, even with 10 men we had 60 per cent of the ball, god knows how many crosses and I'm pretty sure we’ll look back on this game and feel very similar,” McMahon said.

“We lacked the cutting edge on Saturday and we lacked it tonight (Tuesday) in the final third. We didn’t pick out the right cross, right pass or people were not doing enough in the box to get the shot away or create a chance.

“It’s really frustrating to be honest as it’s a game, especially first-half you’re building, second-half George Saunders and Myles Weston have put in an unbelievable amount of crosses. It’s just that sucker punch again like Saturday.

The boss knows his side must continue to believe and be braver when it comes to finding a way to get something from matches.

“We make one mistake and we get punished for it at the minute. We’re going through a tough time and it’s one of them we’ve got to rough it out. Keep believing in what we do and keep playing, keep working hard, and particular in that final third.

“We were the top goal scorers in the league, I don’t know if we still are, probably not and teams aren’t going to come here and be open for us to go beat them.

“They’re going to come here, defend deep, so we have to do more than we have done in the last two games.

“I know we could use excuses with the players we have missing, but we still have enough players on the pitch to win a game of football.”