Dagenham and Redbridge 3-1 FC Halifax Town: We were second best, admits Heath

Halifax were 3-0 down at half-time thanks to goals from Craig Robson and Corey Whitely and an own goal by Scott Garner.

Matty Brown reduced the arrears after the interval, but the Town manager had no qualms about the result, as Town’s six game unbeaten run came to an end,

“The best team won,” he said. “We were second to a lot of things today.

“We didn’t start great - we didn’t have that verve about us that we usually have.

“We looked off-the-pace a bit against a top team. They’ll be there come the end of the season - they might win it.

“We knew it was going to be difficult backing up Leyton Orient as well but we never really got on the front foot at any point.

“We had a little spell second-half after we scored the goal but the best team won. That’s the best side we’ve played this season.”

Heath was frustrated at the ease of which Dagenham took their two-goal lead.

“We’re big enough to defend set-pieces, and we’re usually very good at that,” he said. “So the first one wasn’t a great one, we should have defended that better.

“And even the second one, we got caught in between, but they were playing some good stuff once they went 1-0 up.

“Then the third one, I’d like to see it again because he looked as if he was offside. But that killed the game then.”

Heath said his team were unable to make much of an impression on the hosts due to Dagenham’s dominance.

“We were sporadic going forward because we spent a lot of the game defending,” he said.

“They put us on the back foot a lot of the game because of the way they started, the movement and the power and pace they’ve got.

“A lot of the game we were on the back foot which we haven;t encountered for the last four or five games.

“That’s what you have to endure sometimes, and it was difficult, but the pleasing thing was that we won the second-half. We responded and it was a bit more even.

“When we got the goal you could see there was a reaction from Dagenham that they were thinking about it then.”

The Halifax boss felt the game was perhaps one too many after his side’s superb win at Leyton Orient four days previously.

He added: “You’re probably thinking you don’t want Leyton Orient and Dagenham in the same week, both away from home and all the things that go with it.

“But this is the league we’re in and this is how tough it is.

“We’re in a great position in the table early doors but it’s given us a bit of realism today about where we are.

“The boys have been absolutely magnificent. We’ve got to dust ourselves down now, but as long as we work hard for each other the results will come.”