Chester FC 's play-off hopes all but disappeared as two late goals saw Dagenham & Redbridge snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in a pulsating game at Victoria Road.

Jack Sheppard's goal in first half stoppage time had given the Daggers the lead at the break despite the Blues being far the better side but two second half effort in the space of eight minutes from Luke George and Tom Shaw had Chester heading for the three points with five minutes to go.

But a late Johnny Hunt red card for hand ball and the resulting penalty being converted by Corey Whitely levelled matters before Harry Maguire-Drew broke Chester hearts in injury time in the cruellest of fashion.

Chester boss Jon McCarthy made three changes to the team that lost 3-1 at Dover Athletic seven days previous with Luke George, Wade Joyce and Evan Horwood coming in to the starting XI at the expense of Matty Waters and the duo of Ryan Lloyd and Kane Richards, both of who failed to make the trip due to illness.

There was a place on the bench for new loan signing Danny O'Brien while Sam Hughes made a return to the squad for the first time in a month after injury, with the teenager remaining a Blues player until at least the end of the season after Chester rejected a 'substantial' bid from Championship side Barnsley for his services.

Chester came out of the traps quickly and hit the post inside three minutes when Luke George connected with a delightful Horwood ball, hitting the outside of the woodwork with an outstretched boot.

George skewed an effort wide moments later from distance before the Blues, who were full of endeavour and commitment, almost fell behind when Whitely was tripped by Blaine Hudson, with referee Alan Young pointing straight to the spot.

But Oliver Hawkins saw his spot kick pushed away by Chester keeper Liam Roberts, ensuring parity remained.

Chester weren't shaken, though, and continued to play an entertaining brand of football going forward, with Shaw covering every inch of grass in an advanced role in midfield.

Durrell went wide with a rasping effort, Hunt fired wide from 20 yards and Alabi almost lobbed Elliot Justham in the Daggers goal when he tried to connect with a long ball.

A well-worked tranining ground free kick between Horwood and Durrell almost paid off with the latter peeling off and lacing an effort into a melee of bodies in the Daggers area before it was eventually hacked clear.

Shaw had an effort from distance fly wide before Justham pulled off a top drawer save to keep out a stinging Durrell effort from 25 yards that had looked destined for the net.

But for all Chester's pressure they couldn't find a breakthrough and were punished for their profligacy just before the break.

The Daggers poured forward on a rare attack and found full-back Sheppard on the edge of the area, with Sheppard driving a low effort through a crowd of bodies and into the bottom right hand corner of Roberts' net.

But Chester started the second period in positive mood and levelled matters on 50 minutes when Horwood manages to turn a ball that seemed to be heading out of play into the area, causing panic, before George found room to slam home from 12 yards.

The goal rocked the Daggers and the Blues took the lead eight minutes later.

Still in an attacking position from a previous free-kick, Ryan Astles found room to tee up Shaw in the area with the midfielder showing composure to place the ball high in the net from 10 yards past a beaten Justham.

The Daggers managed to settle, though, and came close to levelling matters on 64 minutes when a cross from Fejiri Okenabirhie found substitute Maguire-Drew at the far post whose effort beat Roberts but was stabbed off the line by Astles.

Roberts had to be alive to pull off a smart save after a dangerous Daggers cross deflected off Hunt and looked to be creeping in, but Hunt managed to clear the rebound and set the Blues off on an unsuccessful venture forward.

Durrell saw a 20 yard free-kick saved well by Justham while the Blues were unable to turn home when a Durrell corner caused panic in the home defence as Chester looked to kill the game off.

The home side pressed in the final 10 minutes, though, and were level from the spot on 85 minutes when Hunt was adjudged to have handled Shaun Donnellan's header from a free-kick.

Hunt was shown a straight red for the offence and Whitely dispatched the spot kick, although Roberts did manage to get a strong hand to it.

Dagenham thought they should have been awarded a third penalty when Blaine Hudson looked to have handled in the area, but referee Young waved away the protests, much to the chagrin of the home faithful.

There was six minutes added time to come yet and Chester hearts were broken deep into stoppage time when a cross from the right found the head of the experienced Paul Benson whose effort crashed off the bar only for fellow substitute Harry Maguire-Drew to slam home the rebound.

It was rough on a Blues side who had been the better side for much of the contest but served to demonstrate the fine margins between success and failure in the National League.

MATCH FILE

Dagenham & Redbridge: Justham, Widdowson, Robson, Raymond (Maguire-Drew 61), Guttridge (Howell 61), Okenabirhie (Benson 76), Hawkins, Boucaud, Whitely, Donnellan, Sheppard. Subs: Cousins, Doe.

Bookings: Robson, Benson.

Goals: Sheppard 45, Whitely 85 (pen), Maguire-Drew 90+3.

Chester: Roberts, Hunt, Vassell, Astles, Hudson, Shaw, George, Joyce, Durrell (O'Brien 90), Horwood (Hughes 75), Alabi. Subs: Lynch, Mahon, Waters.

Bookings: Shaw, Durrell.

Red card: Hunt.

Goals: George 50, Shaw 58.

Attendance:

Referee: Alan Young

STAR MAN

Luke George: A real driving force for the Blues and was at the heart of everything both going forward and defensively. Deserved his goal and didn't deserve to be on the losing side.