The Daggers have lost just one of their last eight Vanarama National League fixtures, winning their previous match against Aldershot Town on Saturday.
Daggers boss, Daryl McMahon made two changes from that victory, with Ben House and Myles Weston coming into the starting XI in place of Alex Reid and Andrew Eleftheriou.
It was House who created the first chance, less than two minutes into the match, curling wide after some neat work on the left side of the box.
Angelo Balanta was the next to try his luck after quick pressure from House forced the Fylde ‘keeper into a weak clearance, the former eventually shooting into the side netting.
Chances remained at a premium as both sides struggled to mount coherent attacks, before Myles Weston broke into the box in the 32nd minute.
The right-wing-back cut inside onto his favoured left-foot before curling just wide of the far corner.
Chances
The game suddenly adopting a renewed pace and atmosphere, the Daggers countered, as Weston saw a strong effort palmed behind by Josh Lillis.
Brundle had the next chance, picking up a smart, quickly taken, free-kick from Sam Deering and smashing first-time at goal.
His shot looked to be landing in the top corner of the net, but it ended up in the stand behind the goal.
The Coasters began the second-half in the ascendancy, taking the lead three minutes after the restart courtesy of Tom Walker.
Jordan Williams’ cross was pushed out by Justham, but Walker was on hand to smartly stab into the empty net.
An excellent spell of passing from the Daggers on 54 minutes saw the ball worked out to Liam Gordon on the left wing and his low effort could only be parried back into the mix by Lillis before Whitmore hacked clear with Brundle running in.
From the resulting corner the Daggers again went close, seeing an effort cleared off the line.
Next, it was Fylde’s turn to be denied by the finest of margins on the hour mark.
Dan Bradley rose highest to meet a corner, and his low effort seemed to deceive the Dagenham defence before Balanta managed to clear off the line at the very last moment.
Brilliant Brundle
Daryl McMahon’s side should have been level in the 66th minute and it would have been no more than they deserved after a dominant passage of play.
Gordon received the ball high on the left side, beat his man, and fired a terrific volleyed cross to the back-post where Brundle just couldn’t quite make sufficient contact to turn it goal-wards.
Dagenham finally did grab the leveller with ten minutes to go, and after seeing numerous opportunities go frustratingly close, it had to be Brundle with the goal.
Gordon fired a tantalising low ball across the six-yard box and as he had done time and time again, and the central midfielder was on hand to meet it, sliding into the back of the net to bring the game level.
Late Drama
The match suddenly reached a frantic pace following Brundle’s goal with Ryan Croasdale and Alex Reid trading shots, both fired unassumingly into the respective ‘keepers’ arms. Kandi then glanced a header wide of the target as the match teetered into four minutes of stoppage time.
Kandi was brought down in the box late on but the referee waved play on and deep into the additional minutes Whitmore jumped highest to head in the winner, thus delivering a damaging blow in the Daggers bid for safety.
Daggers XI: Justham, Gordon, Onariase, Croll, Clark (c), Brundle, Balanta, Robinson (Reid 76’), Deering, House (Kandi 64’), Weston (Wright 86’)
Unused Subs: Johnson, Eleftheriou
AFC Fylde: Lillis, Byrne (c), Whitmore, Croasdale, Philliskirk, Williams, Burke, Bradley (Proctor 70’), Yeates (Willoughby 88’), Walker (Thompson 79’), French
Unused Subs: Hornby, Montrose
Attendance: 1064 (14 away)
Images courtesy of Dagenham & Redbridge
