Ebbsfleet are out of the FA Trophy after losing at home to National League rivals Dagenham & Redbridge.

Angelo Balanta's first-half strike settled things on a bleak winter's afternoon at Stonebridge Road.

It was the first goal Fleet had conceded at home in more than six hours playing time.

Ebbsfleet's only change saw Bagasan Graham replace Myles Weston on the wing while Kenny Clark captained the visitors, less than three weeks since his move from Stonebridge Road.

The home side survived an early scare when Nathan Ashmore was caught in possession by Gillingham loanee Conor Wilkinson after controlling a backpass. Wilkinson tried to lob the Fleet keeper, who was relieved to see the ball drop just wide of the far post.

But it was an otherwise assured start by Ebbsfleet, who got the ball forward quickly and put Dagenham under pressure.

Stand-in Daggers keeper Lewis Moore flapped at one free-kick and then saw Jack King hook the ball over after the visitors failed to deal with another ball into their six-yard box.

King flicked a low Sam Magri cross wide of the post and when Ebou Adams let fly from distance, a diving Moore did well to push the ball round the base of the post.

Jack Payne's set pieces were giving Dagenham real problems and the next one caused a scramble which ended with a Michael Cheek effort being hacked off the line.

However, the home side failed to score while they were on top and Dagenham drew encouragement.

Right-back Lawrie Wilson let the ball run under his foot and Liam Gordon was in but rather than give Wilkinson a tap-in, he chose to shoot and Ashmore saved well with his foot at the near post.

But the visitors were ahead less than 60 seconds later as Balanta beat the Fleet's offside trap and lobbed the onrushing Ashmore from all of 35 yards.

Ebbsfleet rather lost their way for a while and there were inquests in the home defence as passes began to go astray, inviting Dagenham on.

Injury forced Payne out of the game but Fleet should have been level four minutes before half-time.

Cheek, running onto Corey Whitely's through-ball, turned and saw his shot blocked before Kedwell fired wide from close-range.

Moore pulled off a brilliant save at the start of the second period when Cheek brought down Graham's teasing cross and pulled the trigger from six yards.

Balanta fired high and wide at the other end but Ebbsfleet, no doubt with Garry Hill's words ringing in their ears, were in the ascendancy.

They had a big penalty shout for handball waved away and the Daggers were forced into some desperate and Fleet pushed forward with the wind at their backs.

Chris Bush weaved his way through a couple of challenges and teed up substitute Dean Rance, whose piledriver from outside the box was well blocked.

Ebbsfleet played the last half-an-hour with three up front after Cody McDonald was sent on as part of a double substitution alongside Andy Drury.

Dagenham's Gavin Hoyte got away from two men and set up Jack Munns for a shot at goal but his wild effort cleared the Plough End roof.

It was almost 2-0 when Wilkinson worked himself a yard of space in the box but Ashmore stood up and saved well with his foot.

Drury threaded a low shot wide at the end of a neat Ebbsfleet passing move and King's header drifted past the far post when Bush put too much on his right-wing corner.

The game was wide open now and Alex McQueen blazed over when Wilkinsonn laid on a great chance for him 15 minutes from time.

There were certainly plenty of urgency about the Fleet's play as time ticked away but very little quality as the rain continued to lash down.

It was backs-to-the-wall stuff in the last 10 minutes but Dagenham were up to the task and McDonald fired wide after bringing down a cross from the right.

Cheek's glancing header from a corner was blocked and the visitors survived an almighty late scramble when Moore got caught under Whitely's swirling delivery from the left.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Wilson, Magri, King, Bush, Whitely, Adams (Drury 58mins), Payne (Rance 38mins), Graham, Kedwell, Cheek. Subs not used: Weston, Miles.

Dagenham: Moore, Gordon, McQueen, Clark, Balanta (Kandi 67mins), Goodliffe, Phipps, Wilkinson, Munns (Wright 67mins), Hoyte, Onariase. Subs not used: Adeloye, Harfield, Naija.

Attendance: 720.