Dagenham & Redbridge put in a dominant display to seal a comfortable 2-0 victory over play-off chasing Eastleigh.
Goals from Angelo Balanta and Paul McCallum sealed the three points for the Daggers at Victoria Road as they continue to try climbing up the National League table.
Manager Daryl McMahon made three changes from the 1-0 defeat to Bromley on the weekend with Mauro Vilhete, Mo Sagaf and Joey Jones coming in to replace Liam Gordon and Saidou Khan who dropped to the bench and the suspended Dean Rance.
The first chance of the match fell to the visitors as a short free-kick from Jack Payne to Joe Partington which was then was whipped into the box and found defender Pierce Bird all alone but he sent his effort wide in the third minute.
It was a dominant start from the Spitfires until the 14th minute when the hosts managed to break with the ball ending up on the right flank with George Saunders who laid the ball inside for Angelo Balanta who fired over the crossbar.
Dagenham grew into the contest and opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after playing the ball around the edge of the box before finding Balanta who picked out the bottom right corner.
In the 31st minute Eastleigh captain Partington rose highest from a corner kick but Elliot Justham stood tall to deny him and it went behind for a second corner which amounted to nothing.
The hosts continued to press hard where they won numerous free-kicks as they took a 1-0 lead into the half-time break.
Dagenham began the second-half where they left off and continued to dominate the match with McCallum’s hold up being outstanding and bringing plenty of players into the attack without really troubling goalkeeper Joe McDonnell.
Substitute Tom Smith and right wing-back George Saunders both had shots blocked before they did deservedly double their lead through Paul McCallum in the 64th minute.
Target man McCallum got up to meet a cross from the right-hand side and buried a header beyond McDonnell much to his relief.
Balanta almost stretched Daggers lead to three as he forced McDonnell into a save from long range as they continued to ramp up the pressure.
Eastleigh did finally have a chance of their own in the 78th minute but experienced defender Boyce headed over from close range.
The hosts midfielder Mo Sagaf played a great through ball out to Vilhete who whipped the ball in where a shot was blocked before it then fell to Sagaf who put his laces through it and sent it over the bar.
In the final minute Balanta cut onto his right foot inside the box and went for goal but his effort was blocked.
Dagenham & Redbridge: Justham, Wright, Clark, Jones (Smith 53), Saunders, Johnson, Robinson, Sagaf, Vilhete, Balanta, McCallum.
Unused subs: Reynolds, Gordon, Khan, Wilson.
Eastleigh: McDonnell, Partington, Boyce, Bird, Tomlinson (Green 46), Hill, Payne, Miley, Baggie (Blair 74), House, Smart (Marriott 67
Unused subs: Smith, Hollands.
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