Chesterfield suffer second successive defeat after conceding three times in first-half against Dagenham and Redbridge

Goals from Junior Morias and a double from Paul McCallum had the visitors three-nil up at half-time as the Spireites were booed off.

Branden Horton pulled one back with his first goal for the club 10 minutes after the break.

Tyrone Williams grabbed a second goal back in injury-time but, just like against Maidenhead United on Saturday, Town had given themselves too much to do.

The Blues stay third in the table but fall three points behind leaders Notts County, who beat Wrexham.

Paul Cook said he would be making some changes and, true to his word, he handed a first start to Jesurun Uchegbulam, while Jeff King returned from suspension and Jack Clarke also came in. Ryheem Sheckleford, Calvin Miller and Akwasi Asante dropped out.

Under pressure Dagenham boss Daryl McMahon needed a positive result after they were hammered 5-1 at Dorking Wanderers last time out and he also made three changes. The Daggers, who arrived with the leakiest defence in the division, were without a key man up the other end of the pitch, top goalscorer Josh Walker, after he was sent off at the weekend.

Cook called for a reaction after a ‘lacklustre’ performance in the first defeat of the season against Maidenhead – but he did not get one in a disastrous first-half as the Spireites conceded three times.

Town have only recorded three clean sheets this season and their vulnerability was highlighted once again in the opening 17 minutes as the Daggers scored two early goals.

Lucas Covolan did not deal with a cross from the left from Myles Weston and the ball fell to Morias via McCallum to fire low into the net.

Morias and McCallum linked-up again for the second after the Blues lost possession in midfield and were countered on, the latter finishing at the back post from the former’s cross.

And the duo gave the Blues a mountain to climb as they combined again for a third before half-time, this time Covolan parried a shot from Morias but only into the path of McCallum who was there to tap home despite a suspicion of offside.

Chesterfield had lots of possession, but it was all in front of Dagenham as they failed to penetrate the away defence. The one time they did, Joe Quigley missed a sitter of a header from six-yards, nodding wide from a lovely cross from Horton.

There were loud boos from the frustrated home fans after the second and third goals and at half-time.

A little surprisingly, there were no changes at the break for the hosts, and the visitors could have bagged a fourth if Matt Robinson had more accuracy on a shot from inside the area.

The Spireites rallied, Horton lofting a chance over the crossbar and then Olle Banks went close with a deflected strike.

Ten minutes into the second-half, Horton gave Chesterfield a lifeline with a drilled, low shot into the net for his first goal for the club.

With 25 minutes remaining, Kabongo Tshimanga and Asante replaced Uchegbulam and Quigley.

Chesterfield continued to press, but they struggled to create enough clear-cut chances to get back in the game.

They did, however, have what looked like a strong shout for a penalty turned down as frustrations grew towards referee Matt Corlett with the clock ticking down.

Banks tested goalkeeper Elliott Justham with a long-range shot, but the hosts lacked a cutting edge.

Williams headed in Banks’ cross during four minutes of injury-time, his second goal in as many games, but they had left it too late.