Hakan Hayrettin said Maidstone’s defeat at Dagenham felt like a knife in the chest.

United lost 1-0 at Victoria Road on Boxing Day, unable to turn some decent spells into goals.

It was a fourth successive National League defeat for the Stones but they remain a point outside the bottom four, albeit having played more games than the sides below them.

Maidstone conceded the only goal shortly before half-time when Myles Weston cut in from the right and finished on his left foot - a threat the visitors were well aware of.

It was tough to take for boss Hayrettin, who said: “It’s like someone’s stuck a knife in your chest.

“We started better than them and we finished better than them. I thought we were the better team.

“We deserved something out of the game.

“I can’t fault the boys’ endeavour and their hard work but moments change games.

“Weston’s come inside, he’s shot - we know what he’s going to do. We’ve done our homework.

“We know he’s going to get past Jerome (Binnom-Williams) sometimes and when he goes inside I think somebody’s got to come out and try and stop that.

"I think Kodi (Lyons-Foster) has got to do better there but it’s a great goal.

“That’s the quality you’re up against in this league but I’m standing here feeling a bit hard done by because I thought we were excellent and the boys gave everything.”

Lyons-Foster had only just dropped back into defence, after Reiss Greenidge went off with an ankle injury.

• Report: Dagenham 1-0 Maidstone

He'd started in midfield, with Sam Corne out ill and Sha’mar Lawson on the bench after recovering from his own bout of illness.

Maidstone created chances, none better than in added time when Daggers keeper Eliott Justham denied Regan Booty an equaliser.

“We’ve had a great chance at the end there,” said Hayrettin.

“The keeper’s made a great save. He’s won them the three points with that.

"That’s the way it’s going at the moment but we had a good go. Everyone could see that.”

Another positive in defeat was the long-awaited debut of Sol Wanjau-Smith as a second-half substitute.

Named on the bench for the first time in the FA Trophy win over Worthing last week, Hayrettin was finally able to get his summer recruit on the pitch after knee problems.

“He’s like a new signing for us,” said the Stones boss.

Maidstone and Dagenham meet again at the Gallagher Stadium on Monday (3pm), a match that will be shown live on BT Sport.