DAGENHAM & Redbridge boss Ben Strevens felt his side secured a share of the spoils at York City despite not being at their best.

Daggers battled to a 1-1 draw in the National League on Saturday, after Jake Hessenthaler put them in front after just 11 minutes with his first goal for the club.

Ryan Fallowfield equalised for the hosts just before the break and Dagenham boss Strevens said: “It was a really tough game football.

“We were nowhere near our best with the ball.

“We had to stand up to their physical threat and they play long passes forward into their front players who are big strong boys.

“They started with Dipo (Akinyemi) and (Lenell) John Lewis and have Will Davies coming on who is a handful.

“I can’t deny that we weren’t at our best, but the boys found a way to get a draw out of the game.”

But Strevens did take positives from how well his side started the game against the Minstermen who invested heavily in their squad last summer.

“We scored early and started the game quite brightly,” he said.

“We didn’t just hit our stripes after that.

“We were trying to pass the ball better but because they were competing so much across the pitch it was about trying to find that calmness in the right moments to try and smooth out the game a bit more.”

And Strevens also felt the stop-start nature of the match did not help his side.

“There were quite a lot of stoppages for both teams in that first half,” he added.

“Their lad got injured on the far side and there was quite a long break in play.

“We seemed to switch off in that moment and it wasn’t too long after that we conceded.

“It’s about trying to keep your levels of concentration high and we’re disappointed with the goal we let in.

“We’re disappointed with every goal we concede, but it was one lapse of concentration the boys probably did and we got punished for it.

“It was a good finish at the back stick from the right wing-back to be fair, which meant we’re drawing at half-time rather than being in the lead.

“But now we have to get ready for more tough tests.”

The draw left Dagenham sitting in 11th place in the National League standings, ahead of a tough-looking test at second-placed Bromley in midweek.

They return to Victoria Road on Saturday to play host to Halifax Town, who were sitting ninth in the table and just a point outside the play-off places after three successive wins.

The Shaymen were set for a midweek meeting with leaders Chesterfield.