Maidstone United 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 1 match report: Fifth successive defeat for the Stones as Daggers complete Christmas and New Year double

A late goal saw Maidstone beaten by Dagenham for the second week running.

Josh Walker, who saw a first-half effort controversially ruled out for offside, was the scorer with a diving header seven minutes from time.

Myles Weston, the Daggers’ matchwinner on Boxing Day after cutting in from the right, was the provider this time with a left-wing cross.

It was a fifth successive National League defeat for Maidstone, who dropped into the bottom four on goal difference following the New Year’s Day results.

Hady Ghandour and Sha’mar Lawson came in for Reiss Greenidge and Dominic Odusanya as Hakan Hayrettin made two changes.

Maidstone made the better start in front of the BT Sport cameras but by half-time were grateful to be level with Walker’s 27th-minute goal incorrectly ruled out for offside and a penalty refused.

Referee Matthew Russell initially gave the goal but changed his mind after a chat with his linesman, only for replays to show Jerome Binnom-Williams had been playing Walker onside.

Daggers fans were fuming again on the stroke of half-time - as was manager Daryl McMahon - after the visitors were denied a penalty.

It looked stonewall at first glance with Kodi Lyons-Foster dangling out a leg as Junior Morias went past him from a Dagenham counter-attack.

There were suggestions of a dive but the replay showed contact, giving Dagenham every right to feel aggrieved.

Lawson caught the eye in midfield for the Stones.

The on-loan Millwall man gets about the pitch well and there’s a good bite to his play.

He put an early strike wide before a big chance for Jack Barham inside 10 minutes.

To be fair to Barham, he made it himself, intercepting Weston’s pass in his own half and racing away on goal.

A player at his best when