Dagenham & Redbridge manager Daryl McMahon felt the officials changed the momentum of the match with poor decisions after his side suffered a 2-1 defeat to Chesterfield.

Danny Rowe scored twice, including a late penalty, as Chesterfield boosted their National League play-off hopes with a comeback win over 10-man Daggers.

But prior to that Myles Weston was brought down at 1-1 inside the box by goalkeeper James Montgomery.

“I would like to talk about our penalty first on Myles Weston, where he goes around the goalkeeper, who brings him down so that would be 2-1 to us if we score the penalty then Joey Jones doesn’t get sent off,” said McMahon.

“I’m never one to have a go at officials, I never do, but I felt the crowd was too much for the referee because that was a stonewall penalty for us on Westy and that changed the momentum of the game.

“After that it’s still 1-1, it’s a poor decision from Jonesy when in possession of the ball to lose it, and then make the foul so I've got no complaints with the referee giving him a card for that.

Barking and Dagenham Post: Myles Weston of Dagenham and Redbridge and Tom Hannigan of Altrincham during Dagenham & Redbridge vs Altrincham, Vanarama National League Football at the Chigwell Construction Stadium on 12th December 2020Myles Weston of Dagenham and Redbridge and Tom Hannigan of Altrincham during Dagenham & Redbridge vs Altrincham, Vanarama National League Football at the Chigwell Construction Stadium on 12th December 2020 (Image: ©TGS Phototgsphoto.co.uk+44 1376 553468)

“The penalty I will have to look back at it again, but I just felt every 50/50 or close decision went against us, and those two penalties were huge decisions.”

The boss felt his players deserved more out of the match and showed exactly that with the performance they put in.

“I thought we definitely deserved more from the game. In the first 20 minutes Chesterfield, as we knew they would with the home crowd back in, they would start fast.

“I thought we dealt with that well, they had some long throws, set-pieces and corner kicks, then we grew into the game.

“After we scored we had Joey Jones hit the post, Liam put in some fantastic crosses that we couldn’t capitalise on, and I thought we grew into it from there.

“We got through that period really well without El (Elliot Justham) having to make a real save and we grew into the game. I would've liked us to be a bit tidier with the ball, I thought we were a bit hectic at spells in the first half, but after we scored we then settled down, then we did well.”