Agony for Linnets as they blow two-goal lead

The Linnets had led 2-0- at half-time through Alex Kiwomya and Michael Gash, with his first of the season.

The Daggers turned the screw after the break but with 20 minutes left, had been unable to turn their superiority into goals.

But two goals inside five minutes drew them level before they appeared to have wasted a golden opportunity in the final minute of normal time when Archie Mair saved a penalty.

But then disaster struck as, from the resulting corner, Dagenham scored to claim all three points.

Dagenham, who started the day 18th in the table, had only one home league victory in six attempts to their name, dating back to October.

Linnets boss Ian Culverhouse kept faith with the starting line-up which earned a valuable midweek win at Eastleigh, with new signing Tyler Denton on the bench.

Dagenham made a lively start, threatening in the opening minutes without troubling keeper Mair, which was to be the story of the opening half.

Elliott Johnson curled over from a corner and Sam Deering fired over when he should have done better.

Lynn were showing their more resolute side again and began to exert some pressure of their own, playing good passing football.

Dagenham were shooting at every opportunity, although they clearly didn’t have their radar fixed in position.

Lynn had the ball in the net through Adam Marriott after good work with Kiwomya, but the whistle had gone for offside.

Alex Kiwomya, who scored the opening goal before going off minutes later with an injury (Image: GRIFFITHS PHOTOGRAPHERS)

The breakthrough came on 31 minutes when Cameron King got the ball into the area for Gash who passed it into the path of Kiwomya who put it in the bottom corner.

But his joy was short-lived – three minutes later he had to be replaced by Sonny Caret having picked up what looked like a hamstring injury.

The closest the Daggers got to a goal came on 37 minutes when Deering fired across goal from the right and missed the far post by inches.

Sub Carey came close to getting on the end of a low Marriott ball from the left as Lynn broke well, but at the other end Kyle Callan-McFadden headed a deep cross off his own line as the hosts looked to respond before half-time.

But Lynn struck another blow deep into time added on when Gash struck. The Linnets had looked to be playing out time down the right, but Ryan Jarvis clipped the ball down the line for King, who got into the area and fired in a low cross which Gash turned in from close range.

Kyle Callan-McFadden in actin for King's Lynn Town at Dagenham & Redbridge (Image: GRIFFITHS PHOTOGRAPHERS)

Mair survived a scramble in his goalmouth early in the second half, and moments later brought off a brilliant reflex save from McCallum’s header from a corner.

It was no surprise Daggers were applying the pressure, and Culverhouse put on Denton to bolster his back line.

Another scramble saw a Dagenham shot hit the underside of the bar, but on 72 minutes another ball into the area was scrambled over the line by Callum Reynolds.

It all started to get a bit nervy for the visitors, and on 77 minutes Daggers levelled, when a cross by Andrew Eleftheriou from the right drifted in to the far top corner.

And just as Lynn looked to have stemmed the tide, Dagenham were awarded a penalty with a minute of normal time remaining. Mitch Brundle stepped up – and Mair went down to his right and got enough on the ball for it to just spin over the bar.

But then came the killer blow - from the resulting corner, Brundle was unmarked and headed the ball home for the winner.

King's Lynn Town midfielder Jordan Richards (Image: GRIFFITHS PHOTOGRAPHERS)

Dagenham: Justham, Eleftheriou, Reynolds, Croll, Johnson (Gordon 62), Brundle, Rance, Saunders (McQueen 85), Deering, Balanta, McCallum (Wilson 70). Subs not used: Strizovic, Robinson.

Linnets: Mair, Jones, Callan-McFadden, Smith, Barrows Richards, Jarvis, King (Denton 61), Kiwoyma (Carey 35), Marriott (Mitchell 72), Gash. Subs not used: Gyasi, Southwell.