Hakan Hayrettin stressed the need for reinforcements after Maidstone’s home defeat by Dagenham.

The Stones boss said he had eight players out injured after Jerome Binnom-Williams rolled his ankle towards the end of their 1-0 loss on Monday.

Dagenham scored the only goal shortly after Binnom-Williams’ departure as a fifth straight defeat saw United drop to third-bottom in the National League.

They’ve won only two of their past 20 league games.

Hayrettin said Sol Wanjau-Smith, who only made his debut on Boxing Day after months out with knee problems, was injured again.

He also named Joan Luque (knee) and Raphe Brown (ankle), two players who haven’t featured all season, along with skipper Gavin Hoyte (shoulder) and Reiss Greenidge (ankle) among those missing.

Asked what conversations he’d had with the board over adding to his squad, Hayrettin said: “I’m going to go and have them now.”

He added: “This is a fantastic football club, with fantastic ownership.

“We are fighting to compete at this level. We are fighting to keep our status.

“That’s the most important thing now. Everyone needs to realise that.

“People need to know the situation. It’s not a lack of trying or people not trying to do the right thing in games.

“We’re competing against teams whose budgets are double ours. I’ve never used that as an excuse but we’ve got injuries now - we need help.

“Whatever the club can do, we need to get to work now.

“I’ve got contacts as long as my arm. Don’t worry about that. If we can afford it, we’ve got to try and do it.”

Maidstone are in the relegation zone on goal difference but have played two and three games more than Gateshead and Oldham, the sides immediately above them.

There’s then a five-point gap to Aldershot.

Hayrettin, asked if Maidstone need players to stay up, said: “What do you think? It’s because of injuries.

“If everyone was fit, and I can tell you now, because I’m the manager and I pick the team, five of those players out there today wouldn’t be playing.”

With no defender on the bench, Binnom-Williams’ injury led to a defensive reshuffle that saw George Fowler move from right-back to left-back.

Winger Roarie Deacon dropped in at right-back and Dagenham exploited the changes, with Myles Weston’s cross met by Josh Walker in the 83rd minute.

“I’m telling you now, if he (Binnom-Williams) never came off, that ball wouldn’t have come in the box," said Hayrettin.

“George Fowler (who would still have been at right-back) would have stopped it.

“Tell me, what team at this level have got five players out consistently every week?

“Reiss Greenidge, Solomon Wanjau-Smith, Luque, Raphe Brown, Gavin Hoyte, that’s five players that would probably start for me.

"That’s five, all with National League experience (apart from Brown), injured.

“They’re not little knocks here and there and it’s killing me at the moment. Every week, I’m making changes because of injuries. I’ve never known anything like it.

“It’s not an excuse but I’ve won this league, I’ve worked in the Football League and I’ve worked here, and I have knowledge of how things are done.

• Report: Maidstone 0-1 Dagenham

“That (injuries) is ultimately one of the biggest reasons why we haven’t got any consistency at the moment. You can’t get any rhythm going.”

Hayrettin, whose side also lost the Boxing Day meeting 1-0, was once again happy with Maidstone’s effort in the return game against Dagenham.

Leading scorer Jack Barham missed a big chance with the game goalless after going through one-on-one, before Walker had an effort controversially ruled out for offside.

Stones keeper Dan Barden made several good second-half saves before Walker had the ball in the net for the second time for the visitors’ late winner.

“I think the boys gave a good account of themselves,” said Hayrettin.

“It’s fine margins. We lose it in the six-yard box - free header. We threw everything at it.

“If Jack Barham takes his chance…

“It was a tight game. They put us under pressure, we put them under pressure.

"We had the crowd behind us, who were fantastic again.

"We just couldn’t make it count at the death but we’ve got eight players out now, so long as everybody knows, and knows what it is, we all stand collectively and try and do something about it.”