For the second Saturday in a row, Hartlepool United were beaten by a former striker as Josh Umerah scored an early winner for Dagenham & Redbridge.
The 1-0 loss, the first home defeat of the season for Pools at the Prestige Group Stadium, dropped Darren Sarll’s team to 15th in the table ahead of Tuesday night’s visit of Rochdale.
There was a bright start from Pools, with Luke Charman blazing a shot over before putting a dangerous ball across the away box, only for no-one to be there to tap it in.
Unfortunately, a slick attack down the right produced a seventh-minute opener for the Daggers.
A low ball in from Sam Ling found Umerah, who turned smartly and found the bottom left corner of Adam Smith’s net. It was a class finish from the Londoner, who showed a lot of class by not celebrating against his former employers.
It could have been 2-0 just four minutes later when Pools allowed Daggers the freedom of the Prestige Group Stadium in attack, but fortunately Junior Morias missed at the back post.
Thereafter Pools took control with some decent football.
Pools had a chance on 26 minutes when Mani Dieseruvwe chests down the ball superbly only to fire wide of the target.
Both keepers were required to work at the end of the first period.
First, the tricky Dion Pereira brought a save from Smith at his near post before Daggers skipper Elliot Justham beat out a Dieseruvwe effort in added time.
The Londoners were quickly out of the stalls for the second half, with Morias having a shot deflected wide, while Smith saved well from Harry Phipps and Josh Rees fired tamely over.
Dagenham had another opportunity to double their lead just before the hour when Phipps went over the bar from close-range.
Pools upped their pressure with Nathan Sheron having a shot deflected wide and another blocked by Tom Eastman.
And there seemed a chance for Dieseruvwe after good work by Roshaun Mathurin only for the star striker to stumble.
Pools then suffered their fourth red card of the season in the 88th minute. Left-back David Ferguson was handed a second yellow card for a foul inside his own half.
Mathurin created danger in the away area in stoppage time, but the Daggers were able to scramble the ball clear.
Pools kept going and Gary Madine threatened to go through in the fifth added minute, only for Phipps to execute a magnificent last-ditch tackle.
Pools: Smith, Dodds, Sass-Davies (Robinson 86′), Parkes, Ferguson, Sheron (Sloggett 76′), Featherstone, Asiimwe (Madine 60′), Grey (Mancini 67′), Charman (Mathurin 60′), Dieseruvwe
Subs (not used): Young, Onariase
