Brentford’s slide continued as they crashed to a 4-1 defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge at Victoria Road on Tuesday night.

The Bees have failed to win since New Year’s Day – ironically when they defeated tonight’s opponents – and this heavy defeat leaves manager Andy Scott under real pressure as his side caved in during a crazy 12 minute second half spell.

Sloppy defending once again proved his side’s downfall and afterwards Scott said: “Four elementary mistakes and they cost us [tonight]. It’s driving me berserk. We’ve got players who can do it and they’ve got to grow some balls and not feel sorry for themselves if they make a mistake.”

Scott once again rang the changes, with Simon Royce starting in goal for the suspended Richard Lee, while new loan signing Nicholas Bignall started on the left, along with Lewis Grabban on the right and the recalled Stephen Wright in defence.

Early on skipper Kevin O’Connor set the right tone when he fought hard to win the ball on the right side of midfield and played it forward for Charlie MacDonald to race onto and cross into the box from the by-line, where it was collected by Daggers’ keeper Tony Roberts.

The Bees’ bright start continued when Grabban did well to win a corner on the right, from where O’Connor’s corner was headed wide by Karleigh Osborne.

However, Brentford’s good work was undone after 20 minutes when Dagenham threatened down the left and at the second attempt ex-Bee Damian Scannell’s low cross into the six yard box was pushed into the path of Jon Nurse, who bundled the ball home.

The Daggers wasted a good chance to double their lead five minutes later when Darren Currie’s cross from the right to the back post found an unmarked Scannell, who headed wide of the goal.

Towards the end of the half Grabban broke free down the right and after looking up, played in a low cross into the six yard box, where Roberts dived at the feet of MacDonald to make a brave save. In stoppage time, enterprising play by Dagenham down the left resulted in a curling shot from Scannell, which took a slight deflection before Royce pulled off a smart save.

Brentford pushed forward from the second half kick off and within a minute Grabban’s shot from just inside the box was blocked by the defence.

Dagenham doubled their lead ten minutes into the half when a corner from the right was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Osborne.

The night went from bad to worse for the Bees when Dagenham broke quickly after defending a corner and Scannell’s cross from the left was driven home at close range by Nurse with Brentford’s defence simply nowhere to be seen.

A minute later the route was completed when Dagenham extended their lead following a corner on the left which was headed home by Romain Vincelot.

Brentford enjoyed a flurry of corners during stoppage time and from Saunders’ corner from the right MacDonald lashed home through a crowded penalty box with the last kick of the match.

Brentford: Royce; Wright, Balkestein, Osborne, Woodman; Grabban (sub Simpson 58), Tudor-Jones, O’Connor, Bignall (sub Weston 78); Forster, Alexander (sub Saunders 73)

Subs: Moore, Legge, Diagouraga, Forster

Attendance: 1907 (351 Bees)

Man of the Match: Kevin O’Connor

Goals: MacDonald 90+3