The Gills put in a disappointing performance in pretty awful conditions at Beechings Cross on Saturday morning, writes Richard Day.
The wind and rain played havoc throughout but it was the same for both sides and unfortunately it was the East London side who never looked back once they'd taken a 36th minute lead.
Mark Patterson's side started well enough and were on top for the opening half-hour but despite creating chances they hardly worked visiting keeper Danny Sambridge.
Josh Sargeant fired an early effort straight at the keeper and then looked unlucky to have a header ruled out for a foul following an aerial challenge with Sambridge.
Midfield dynamo Dean Rance did test the keeper with a decent downward header but then blasted another chance way off target.
The Daggers had hardly been a force going forward but went ahead in the 36th minute. The Gills failed to close down the right-flank and when the cross came in Ryan Benniman's attempted clearance only set up Louis Dennis to fire home from the edge of the area.
A few minutes later James Brown was in the right place to clear a Louie Theophanous header off the line and Conor Quinn made a smart reaction save to keep out the same players follow up.
Twice in the opening ten minutes of the second-half the Gills almost added to their woes by gifting the visitors a second. First Tom Brunt's miscued clearance from a Quinn goal-kick sailed inches over his own bar while Quinn's attempted roll-out somehow dropped behind him and rolled past the post.
It wasn't as if Dagenham really needed any gifts as they scored in the 52nd and 55th minute. The unmarked Dennis heading home from a corner and Alfie Wren stroking home at the far post after the defence was caught napping from a quickly-taken corner.
The Gills coach immediately made three changes which included bringing on livewire under-16 forward Nathan Nayfil. Although it was game over the Gills did create chances although none hit the target. James Brown shot wide, Callum Day dragged a shot across the face of goal, Rance stabbed a chance over, Jack Evans smacked an angled effort too high and Alex Brown skimmed the bar with a shot from the edge of the area.
Gillingham - Quinn, Evans, J.Brown, Brunt (Murphy 55), Essam, Davies, Benniman (Geering 77), Rance, A.Brown, Day, Sargeant (Nayfil 55). Unused subs: Bourne, Fisher.
