ADRIANO Moke was sent off as York City suffered a 2-0 home defeat to high-flying Dagenham & Redbridge.

The City midfielder was dubiously dismissed for a fracas after he was fouled by a cautioned Scott Heard on 81 minutes, but the hosts were already trailing to first-half Oliver Hawkins and Luke Guttridge goals by then and never looked like ending their long run without a win that has now been stretched to 14 games.

Dagenham threatened early on with Corey Whitely shooting wide twice whilst, at the other end, Robbie McDaid ran on to Sean Newton’s through ball and sidestepped a Scott Doe challenge before his low 12-yard shot was gathered by Elliot Justham.

McDaid also saw a weak effort on the turn fail to extend Justham, while Hawkins signalled a warning of his intent when he headed Jordan Maguire-Drew’s right-wing corner back across goal and narrowly wide.

After an ambitious Charlie Cooper 35-yard attempt finished well wide, Hawkins then made no mistake when he took up an identical position on the far post in the 28th minute and, having been picked out again by Maguire-Drew’s inswinging cross from the right, he planted a firm header into Scott Flinders’ bottom left-hand corner.

Aidan Connolly and McDaid had further shots that lacked the power and direction to trouble Justham and Dagenham doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time when Hawkins headed down another right-wing cross – from Whitley on this occasion – and a determined Guttridge pounced to beat Flinders from eight yards, After the interval, McDaid wasted a glorious chance when he curled high and wide from eight yards after the ball fell to his feet following Newton’s left-wing cross.

His header from Danny Holmes’ right-wing cross was also comfortably collected by Justham, who gathered Connolly’s edge-of-the-box half-volley moments later.

Justham was finally seriously tested on the hour mark when he tipped over Newton’s rasping 25-yard piledriver.

Sub Daniel Nti went on to ghost in front of Justham to meet Simon Heslop’s inswinging cross from the right, only to head over a vacated goal.

But City lost Moke on 81 minutes when, in retaliation to a foul by Heard on him close to the touchline, he was adjudged to have pushed Maguire-Drew with enough force to merit a red card for violent conduct.

Chances then came at both ends with Holmes slicing wide from 20 yards, while Connolly’s free kick and a sidefooted Newton effort forced good parries from Justham.

But the Daggers could have also extended their lead with Whitely somehow clearing the crossbar from four yards out and Maguire-Drew hitting the base of Flinders’ left-hand upright.