Dagenham & Redbridge booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Buildbase FA Trophy with success over Spennymoor Town.
But the win against the National League North side - courtesy of two second-half goals at Victoria Road - was overshadowed by an injury suffered by George Saunders.
Brandon Comley was given his first start for Daggers, having made his debut off the bench at Chesterfield a week earlier, but Elliot Justham was forced into action in the second minute to save from Ryan Hall.
Junior Morias had the first chance of note for the hosts, after receiving a pass from Will Wright, but his first-time shot was deflected behind on 14 minutes.
Daggers then saw Wright deliver a well-weighted cross for Morias five minutes later, but the striker's header was off-target.
Comley made a superb challenge moments later to deny the visitors a gilt-edged chance, before Luke Spokes was warned for a reckless challenge on Joey Jones.
Spennymoor wasted a free-kick before the half-hour mark, with Wright firing a chance of his own into the visitors' defensive wall at the other end.
Jones was then booked for a tackle on Spokes, but Daggers had another sight of goal just before half-time when another Wright free-kick, won by Josh Walker, picked out Dean Rance at the far post, but his header was saved.
Justham then produced a reflex save from a close-range header at a Spennymoor free-kick in first-half stoppage time to ensure the scoreline remained blank.
Jones made way for Paul McCallum during the break and the move paid dividends within two minutes of the restart as the substitute won a flick-on at the near post, which was initially saved but eventually crept over the line.
And Daggers went close to a second on 51 minutes as Walker saw his strike palmed away by Jordan Yamoah Amissah, before McCallum was played through on goal but could not collect the ball cleanly.
The visitors then had an opening, with Jamie Chandler seeing his effort cleared for a corner.
But play was then held up after Saunders suffered a serious injury, which led to him being stretchered off and replaced by Elliott Johnson, as Spennymoor's James Curtis was sent off.
Amissah saved Wright's free-kick when play resumed, while Adriano Moke was booked for a foul on Rance.
And when Morias was fouled near the touchline on 75 minutes, Wright fizzed in a free-kick for Callum Reynolds to head just wide of the mark.
But Daggers doubled their lead just two minutes later as Walker was played in on goal and saw his attempt lob parried back by Amissah for him to play the ball across goal and pick out Morias to head home.
Morias made way for Mohammed Sagaf for the final stages, after another impressive display, and Glen Taylor sliced a late shot wide for the 10-man visitors as Daggers sealed their place in the last eight.
Dagenham: Justham, Wright, Clark, Reynolds, Ling, Rance, Comley, Jones (McCallum 46), Saunders (Johnson 67), Morias (Sagaf 81), Walker. Unused subs: Lawlor, Robinson, Akanbi, Nkwonta.
Attendance: 1,350 (inc 164 Spennymoor fans).
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