Ebbsfleet were beaten by a stoppage-time winner at home to Dagenham in the National League on Saturday.

Substitute Charley Kendall came off the bench to stab home the winner from close range in the second minute of added time - just moments after the Fleet had a great chance to claim all three points themselves.

Dominic Poleon set up Franklin Domi as the game went into stoppage time but his effort was saved by keeper Elliot Justham, Dagenham promptly went up the other end and scored the only goal of the game - it’s such fine margins that the Fleet are currently falling the wrong side of at the moment.

The Fleet made four changes from Tuesday night’s loss at Southend. Out went the injured Hayden White, Haydn Hollis and Ben Chapman were on the bench while there was no place in the squad for Billy Clifford.

In came Luke O’Neill, Matthias Fanimo, David Amoo and Omari Sterling-James while Dominic Samuel, the former Gills striker who signed for the Fleet on Friday, was not included in the squad.

Among the Dagenham side were Jake Hessenthaler, Josh Hare and Josh Rees while former Gills and Fleet man Myles Weston was on the bench.

In truth it was a largely forgettable first half. Amoo shot wide early on for the Fleet while it needed an excellent last-ditch tackle by Tom Eastham to prevent Fanimo having a clear sight of goal from Dominic Poleon’s through ball.

Dagenham came into the game and should have gone ahead but Harry Phipps couldn’t keep his header down from a left-wing corner. Then Fleet keeper Mark Cousins was called into action at his near post, turning behind a quickly-taken shot from Freddie Sears.

Ebbsfleet’s only shot on target in the first half came on 34 minutes when Domi’s effort went straight to Justham.

The visitors had two players booked inside the last nine minutes of the half. Hessenthaler was cautioned for clattering into Craig Tanner before Frank Vincent’s pull back on Fanimo saw him follow suit.

Dagenham had a great chance to open the scoring just two minutes after the break. Hare picked out Sears but he dragged his shot horribly wide.

At the other end, Tanner shot over from 20 yards before Poleon beat Hessenthaler for pace and crossed from the right but no-one anticipated the delivery and the ball rolled harmlessly across the six-yard box.

At the other end, former Dover striker Inih Effiong kept a high ball alive in the box but Lewis Page’s cross-shot was deflected behind for a corner.

Ebbsfleet had a glorious chance to go ahead with 20 minutes left. Sterling-James got behind his man and pulled the ball back for Poleon but the striker’s goalbound shot was blocked behind for a corner.

On-loan Mustapha Olagunju again impressed in the Fleet defence, standing up well to the physicality of Effiong and showing a good turn of speed when needed. He even strode forward with the ball in the last 10 minutes but dragged his shot wide from the edge of the area.

The visitors nearly claimed the win in the 85th minute but Cousins produced a fine save to keep out substitute David Longe-King’s header from a Hare free-kick. However, they kept plugging away and eventually got their rewards with Kendall’s late effort.

Ebbsfleet: Cousins, O’Neill, Solly, Olagunju, Fanimo (Cundle 71mins), Wright, Tanner, Domi, Sterling-James (Chapman 71mins), Amoo (Odokonyero 65mins), Poleon. Subs not used: Edser, Hollis.

Dagenham: Justham, Hare, Johnson, Eastham, Hessenthaler, VIncent (Longe-King 73mins), Rees, Effiong, Page, Phipps, Sears (Kendall 81mins). Subs not used: Weston, Francis-Clarke, Ling.

Referee: Garreth Rhodes.

Attendance: 1,605 (259 away).