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 working on instinct, he perhaps had too much time to think about what he was going to do and hit the legs of Elliott Justham.

Dagenham finished the half on top and were in on goal at the start of the second, Dan Barden standing up well to deny Walker, who looked a good bet to break the deadlock.

Maidstone went on to enjoy a good spell of pressure, roared on by the Genco Stand, with Barham meeting Binnom-Williams’ cross and Roarie Deacon seeing a shot blocked from Ghandour’s lay-off.

Mo Sagaf threatened from 20 yards for the visitors before Barden saved impressively at the feet of Junior Morias.

Joe Ellul headed over at the other end - a decent opportunity from Deacon’s corner - before a double chance for the visitors.

Barden was off his line to make another fine save from Morias and George Fowler blocked Matt Robinson’s follow-up on the line before clearing.

Back came Maidstone with substitute Christie Pattisson bursting past two players on his way into the box but the finish didn’t match the quality of his run.

Stones lost captain Binnom-Williams to what looked like a nasty injury - possibly his Achilles - and, moments later, Daggers’ David Longe-King hit the bar with a header from Josh Hare’s free-kick.

The visitors went on to break the deadlock seven minutes from time.

Weston, popping up on the left, took a Morias pass and saw his cross headed home at the near post by Walker

Maidstone: Barden, Fowler, Ellul, Lyons-Foster, Binnom-Williams (Odusanya 79mins), Deacon, Lawson (Corne 70mins), Booty, Galvin (Pattisson 70mins), Barham, Ghandour. Subs not used: Mersin, Alabi.

Dagenham: Justham, Hare, Johnson, Hare, Rance, Walker (Mussa 89mins), Sagaf, Weston, Robinson, Longe-King, Morias (McCallum 84mins), Taylor (Saunders 64mins). Subs not used: Onariase, Bird.

Referee: Matthew Russell.

Attendance: 2,759 (285 away).