Dagenham and Redbridge 3-0 FC Halifax Town: "In the moments that mattered, they were better than us," says Wild

Town manager Pete Wild said Dagenham and Redbridge were better in the moments that mattered after his side's 3-0 defeat in the capital.

The result is another blow to Halifax's play-off chances, but The Shaymen could have no complaints after being second best for most of the game.

"In the moments that mattered, they were better than us," Wild admitted.

"We started well, the shape was good, I thought we were nicking it, negating it, and again, that's where we need to score, when we start bright like that.

"We've started bright the last five or six games and we've got to score when we're on top.

"We don't, and then they get a goal from the cross and that just deflates the boys a little bit.

"If we'd got in at half-time 1-0 we thought we'd have a chance but at 2-0 it was very difficult.

"We came out and gave it everything we had second-half. it is easier to play when you're losing but one thing I will say about them, they never gave up, they showed those fighting qualities.

"But when it was nip and tuck, they were better than us."

The result could have gone differently had Kieran Green converted Jeff King's header with the score at 1-0, rather than putting the chance wide from close range.

"That's the difference isn't it, I think it's been the difference all season," Wild said.

"We've lacked that quality in the final third, (even) when we haven't had players out.

"But that's the nature of the football club, we're not blessed with the budgets the Dagenhgam's and others have got.

"We have what we have and we have to deal with that.

"Unfortunately we have four missing today and I think it showed.

"That's football. When I keep saying about 'plucky underdogs' and 'punching above our weight', today is an example of when we haven't got people available, we're always going to struggle, and we struggled today."

Dagenham's second goal just before half-time proved a killer blow to Town's chances.

"I didn't think it was a free-kick, which is frustrating, but to concede on half-time knocks the stuffing out of you," Wild said.

"You've got a chance at 1-0 to galvanize the boys and go again but 2-0, we did, we gavanized them, but we just didn't have enough."

Town were missing Jake Hyde, Jamie Allen and Jack Earing through injury, as well as the suspended Danny Williams.

"We're a small squad. In March we'd have liked to have brought some real quality in to supplement the group, but we didn't have that opportunity to do so, and I think it's showing u now," Wild said.