Dagenham & Redbridge manager Ben Strevens looked on in devastation after Barnet snatched a late 4-3 win at the Chigwell Construction Stadium on Saturday.

After Josh Umerah put the hosts ahead after just 14 seconds, a topsy-turvy encounter saw Strevens’ side twice surrender a lead to condemn the Daggers to their sixth National League defeat of the season.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed to lose. It went back and forward with us getting an early lead and them (Barnet) equalising,” Strevens told the club website.

“2-1, 3-1 to us either side of half-time. Two quickfire penalties - I don’t think I’ve been involved in a game when two penalties have been given the way they were.

"At the end, we had our moments. We hit the crossbar, and we had a shot saved by their goalkeeper.

“Come the final whistle; after 97 or 98 minutes, we lost 4-3, so that’s all that matters really.”

Midfield maestro Josh Rees and young defender Trent Rendall both made their returns from injury during Saturday’s defeat, but Strevens hinted at a deviation from the plan he had before the game to reintegrate them back into the fold.

“I was reluctant to put both of them together if I’m being honest,” he replied when asked about their return to action.

“Rees hasn’t really been fully integrated into training in terms of being able to do everything over the last couple of days, and if I’m being honest, if we’d been winning 4-1, I wouldn’t have put him on the pitch. That’s where he’s at.

“You’re fearful that if you bring him on and something happens to him, you then miss him for weeks. I was in two minds whether to do it or not, and the same with Trent. He’s been back on the bench, but he’s not been fully fit. I had to ask him and say, ‘Do you feel definitely okay?’

“The last thing I wanted to do was to put him on, and then something happens and we lose him again, but I think they both came through it alright, which is a real positive.”

The Daggers boss seemed to criticise the officials after Barnet were awarded two penalties, a pair of decisions that ultimately brought Dean Brennan’s side back into the game after being 3-1 down just three minutes into the second half.

“For people to make decisions and not expect players and staff to have a reaction - we're human beings,” Strevens said.

“The second one they got given, to the moment we had in the box two or three minutes later? The first (penalty) is just definitely a penalty. The second one is dubious. I’d be saying that if I were their manager as well.

"But for Reesy to get booked for reacting to it and me to be booked for trying to protect them from reacting to it is absolutely ridiculous. Whether they get them right or wrong, we’re human beings as well.

“I know they are (human beings). I know they don’t want to make mistakes with things like that, but we’re not Premier League managers. We’re National League managers and staff.

“These decisions cost people jobs. We’re going to react in an emotional way.”

Daggers will have to swiftly put the agonising defeat behind them as they travel to Tamworth on Saturday in an attempt to improve their patchy form of late.

They have also been handed a trip to Chertsey Town in the third round of the FA Trophy on December 7.