Dagenham boss frustrated with a point after suggesting his side "laid siege" to Pools goal for 75 minutes
Dagenham and Redbridge manager Lewis Young felt his side deserved all three points following Saturday's draw with Hartlepool United, suggesting his side "laid siege" to the Pools goal for 75 minutes.
In truth, Pools dominated the opening exchanges and could have been more than one goal up after the sprawling Jake Turned saved Mani Dieseruvwe's less than convincing penalty in the ninth minute.
However, Louis Stephenson's first career red card in the 25th minute changed the game and the hosts, who needed at least a point to keep themselves within touching distance of National League safety, grew in confidence as they looked to make the most of their man advantage.
Although the Daggers went close on a number of occasions, hitting the woodwork through Josh Umerah, who spent two seasons at the Prestige Group Stadium, and influential substitute Dion Pereira, the visitors continued to pose a threat of their own and Billy Sass-Davies forced another fine save from Turner on the stroke of half time.
While Dagenham did manage to salvage a point late on when defender Harry Phipps, rather fortuitously, skewed an effort off the side of his boot and into the bottom corner, the London side lost ground in the fight for survival and find themselves five points adrift of safety with four games to go.
The sense of ill-feeling aimed towards both Young, who made more than 200 appearances for Crawley as a player and is the brother of England international Ashley, as well as Dagenham's American owners, who took over the club last summer, was palpable. Fans unfurled banners and some even attempted to storm the pitch as they voiced their discontent at how events have unfolded this season.
A number of the banners and songs called for the return of former boss Ben Strevens, who was sacked in December with the club five points above the bottom four. Since then, Dagenham have won just three of their last 20 matches and will likely need at least nine points from the remaining 12 available to give themselves any sort of chance of beating the drop.
Saturday's game, then, must have seemed like something of a missed opportunity for the Daggers and Young, speaking to the official club website, felt like his side did enough to win.
"When you go up against 10 men for 75 minutes, you expect to come out with three points," he said.
"I think we've laid siege to their goal for 75 minutes, maybe even a little bit before that when we should have had a couple more opportunities.
"It was just a lack of quality and a lack of belief, with obviously the situation we've put ourselves in. That lays squarely at my feet, no one else. I have to take complete responsibility for that and whatever decisions get made from there is out of my hands now."