JOHN COLEMAN called it "Groundhog Day".

And while it could be also classed as "deja vue", "same old story" and "more of the same", it boiled down to the same fact that Accrington Stanley threw away another three points in their Conference play-off quest on Saturday.

Coleman had recently slammed his side for taking one in 10 of their chances. But on Saturday, that statistic got worse as they didn't take one out of 21 efforts on goal.

Dagenham, in contrast, had 12 attempts and slotted home three to put the mid-table side within two points of Stanley and with a game in hand.

"I have seen that performance about 15 times this season," said a bewildered Coleman after the match.

"We had about 15 chances in the first half and wasted them. We don't seem to have mastered the art of putting the ball into the back of the net or keeping them out at the other end.

"It's happening all too often and it can't be acceptable any more. That's about the seventh game we could have won without playing any differently. I feel like I have been mugged."

Stanley played some sweet passing football in the first half with Steve Jagielka making waves in midfield while Lee McEvilly came closest to scoring for the Reds.

The bustling striker was denied time and time again by the impressive keeper Tony Roberts who seemed to be everywhere.

He blocked the low shots from the former Rochdale man and then got his hand to push out a 30-yard wonder strike which was floating into the top corner of the net.

McEvilly's strike-partner Paul Mullin was also guilty of missing a good opportunity after he pounced on a Lee Flynn short back pass but, as Mullin lined up to shoot with only Roberts to beat, he scuffed his shot and the Daggers defence got back in time to deny him a chance.

Ian Craney also went on the hunt to add to his eight goal tally for the Reds but his efforts cleared the crossbar as Stanley piled on the pressure in the first half.

And their defence were on top limiting the Daggers hitmen to just one shot on target with Paul Crichton diving down low to deny Craig Mackail-Smith.

"It was as close to perfection as you could get in the first half," continued Coleman. "We just lacked the goal. We absolutely murdered them and if it had been a boxing match, the referee would have stopped it after half an hour. Some of the football we played was breathtaking.

"But football is about winning matches and not being pleasing on the eye. And, it seems, when we miss a host of chances, it is only a matter of time before we concede. That has happened again."

That's when Groundhog Day really set in. Just 90 seconds into the second half, the Daggers forced their first corner of the game compared to Stanley's 12.

In came Paul Bruce's flag kick, up jumped Lee Goodwin and the ball sneaked under the body of Crichton.

"We had talked about it before the match," fumed Coleman. "We hammered it into the players that we had to concentrate and what we hadn't to do is concede.

"90 seconds into the second half and we have done just that. We have gifted them three goals and they have had to do nothing for them."

Stanley have an unwanted record in the league this season of once they have gone behind, they haven't come back and won.

But they did try to remedy this as Craney had a chance seconds after the opener but was again off-target, McEvilly headed wide and a Rory Prendergast dipping effort was tipped over by Roberts.

But then, as the script predicted, it just went from bad to worse.

As Stanley pressed forward to chase the game, Dagenham added to Coleman's woes. Crichton failed to hold onto a Mark Janney shot and it fell nicely for Daggers top scorer Chris Moore who wasn't going to miss from six yards out.

This infuriated Coleman. "You can bet your life that if there is a goalmouth scramble, the ball doesn't go into the net for us. Then, if it happens at the other end, it amost certainly ends up in the back of the net. The balls aren't dropping for us or we are not making them drop for us.

"They didn't look like they had a goal in them, never mind three, but again we dominate and drew a blank at home. I am lost for words."

And, to rub salt into the wounds, their manager John Still managed what looked like an inspired substitution when new signing Matt Harrold, on loan from Brentford, took to the field on his debut.

He had only been on two minutes when Moore broke, got the better of Chris Butler, and Harrold tapped home an easy third.

Coleman tried to make things work for him, introducing Jonathan Smith and Ged Brannan, and Smith came close with a header but Roberts was again on hand. And Steve Jagielka, who was Stanley's man of the match, also tested Roberts but just nothing came off for the Reds. And Crichton then had to be there in injury time to deny Glen Southam a fourth.

Shell-shocked Coleman just couldn't believe his side had lost.

"They (Dagenham) defended well in the second half but they didn't in the first half as we got in so many times.

"But the goal has galvanised them and then they have grown in confidence. Their first goal was a freak and then they have taken their next two chances. We haven't."

He continued: "Every time we miss chances it turns out to be crucial as we can't keep them out. There seems to be a pattern emerging that every time Paul Mullin misses a sitter at 0-0, you can put your mortgage on us losing as this has happened about seven times this season.

"There is no one more honest than Paul as he works his socks off but unfortunately he hasn't got the knack of putting the ball into the back of the net.

"I will have to look at my options. We certainly need to shore up at the back as that is not acceptable."

For Daggers boss John Still his side were visibly delighted to avenge the 5-0 defeat dished out to them by Stanley in September.

"To come here and win 3-0 is outstanding. They are a good side and I am sure it will just be a blip for them but defensively we were superb."