YORK City suffered their first away defeat since the start of December as Dagenham sub Frankie Raymond grabbed the only goal of the game late on.

The Minstermen left Essex pointless despite Amari Morgan-Smith and Dan Parslow having both hit the frame of the goal during a scrappy contest.

Earlier, Corey Whitely flashed a 30-yard, deflected effort wide for the Daggers on six minutes, while Paul Benson’s header, following a Joe Widdowson raid down the left, lacked the power to trouble City debutant Scott Loach.

Moments later, though, Alex Whittle needed to clear a far-post Benson header off the line following Luke Guttridge’s left-wing corner.

The City wing-back also rescued his team with a great covering block after Sean Newton’s clearance had been charged down by Luke Howell, who also shot wide from 12 yards with the game’s next opportunity.

Whitely went on to drag wide from the edge of the box, before the visitors manged their first attempt of the match with Vadaine Oliver heading too high following Newton’s right-wing corner to the near post.

Just past the half-hour mark, meanwhile, Jon Parkin prodded over from ten yards.

The Minstermen then came closest to breaking the first-half deadlock in the second minute of stoppage time when Morgan-Smith’s looping header, following Newton’s left-wing cross, came off the crossbar, while Hamza Bencherif booted out of the ground from the rebound.

After the break, home pair Howell and Craig Robson were well wayward from 20 yards whilst, in between, Elliot Justham bizarrely left Parslow’s ball into the box to bounce off his right-hand post and back into his arms. Whitely, meanwhile, trod on the ball from two yards out with the goal at his mercy.

For the Minstermen, an unmarked Whittle went on to head over after Parslow’s right-wing cross to the far post and a scuffed Oliver diagonal shot trickled to Justham on the hour.

In reply, Elliott Romain’s downward header forced a fine reflex save from Loach following Curtley Williams’ right-wing centre.

On 78 minutes, Newton curled a 30-yard free kick well over before Sam Muggleton was sent on to cause problems with his long throws on the narrow pitch.

Within seconds, the City sub launched one of his missiles into the box from close to the half-way line and, after the ball was headed away to the edge of the box, Hall’s firm volley was parried away.

But, on 82 minutes, Raymond, who had been brought on at the same time as Muggleton, curled a 15-yard shot beyond Loach’s dive to his right.

At the other end, Hall headed straight at Justham from Newton’s inswinging free kick but, despite Scott Fenwick and Aidan Connolly both being thrown on, Loach still needed to push behind a Whitley shot in stoppage time.