Dagenham & Redbridge boss John Still said that Chester FC were simply better than them during Tuesday's 3-0 triumph for the Blues at the Lookers Vauxhall Stadium.
Two stunning first-half strikes from Elliott Durrell and Tom Shaw and a second-half header from striker James Alabi handed Jon McCarthy's side a deserved triumph.
The Blues bossed the contest from the off and the Daggers never looked like taking anything from the game from the moment Durrell's 25-yard volley fizzed past Elliot Justham in the visitors' goal on 12 minutes.
And Daggers boss Still was quick to admit that it was a case of simply being second best for his side against the Blues.
Still told the Barking & Dagenham Post: "We looked full of energy on Saturday, we didn’t look full of energy on Tuesday.
"In fairness to them, they were better than us. The first two goals were worldies, we could have played well and they would have scored those goals.
“Their keeper (Liam Roberts) has made a great save at 2-0 from Oliver Hawkins that could have taken us into half time closer to them.
“Then you have to gamble and throw people forward. I don’t take too much notice of the last third of the game, you want to chase it and want to try and get back into it. We never looked convincing.”
The three points lifted Chester into 10 spot in the National League and banished the memory of the 3-0 loss at Gateshead in the season opener on Saturday.
The Blues are back in action this weekend when they welcome newly-promoted Maidstone United to the Lookers Vauxhall Stadium (3pm).
