Arron Davies scored an injury-time winner to give Exeter City fourth wins in a row.
The game against Dageham & Redbridge saw Davis' thunderous header in the fourth minute of stoppage time give the Grecians a 2-1 win, but it was no more than Exeter deserved for a superb second half performance in which they were camped in the home side's half.
Former Grecians Jamie Cureton had typically scored against his former club to open the scoring, but Jimmy Keohane's penalty levelled matters ten minutes from time.
The game seemed set for a draw before Welshman Davies scored a rare header to the delight of over 400 travelling City fans.
The Grecians were forced into one change from last week's win against Bury; Graham Cummins missed out through injury, so Tom Nicholls partnered Alex Nicholls in a Nichols-Nicholls strikeforce.
Dagenham's line-up had a familiar look about it with two former Torquay players, Brian Saah and Joss Labadie, one ex-Pilgrim in Ashley Hemmings and leading the frontline was Cureton, a former Exeter player of the year.
The opening seven minutes passed without incident and it was Ashley Chambers who had the first shot at goal, but his deflected effort was saved by Christy Pym. The Grecians responded with Liam Sercombe's shot saved by Mark Cousins, but the deadlock was broken in the tenth minute.
Matt Partridge's low cross was taken by Cureton on the corner of the six-yard box and he turned Jordan Moore-Taylor brilliantly before firing high into the net.
It was a poor start from the Grecians, who could not get their passing game going and when they did go forward, they were wasteful in possession. Danny Butterfield lost the ball when well place and picked up a harsh booking for a retaliatory challenge, while Cureton almost had a second, but couldn't get climb high enough to reach Chambers' cross.
Butterfield almost gifted Cureton a second goal when his awful backpass went straight to the veteran striker, but he curled a great chance wide of the far post. It was a huge let off for the Grecians, who responded with Christian Ribeiro's cross-shot being palmed behind for a corner kick.
Scot Bennett was next to be booked for a late tackle on Labadie, while Cureton had the ball in the net in the 33rd minute, but it was ruled out for offside. It was all Dagenham, who went close again when Chambers breezed through the Grecians defence but scuffed his shot wide of the far post.
Abu Ogogo became the first of six Dagenham players to be cautioned for a foul on Nichols before Cureton again trying his luck from the edge of the penalty box, but his deflected shot was superbly saved by Pym.
Despite being second best throughout the half, the Grecians ended it well. Ribeiro, Sercombe and Nicholls combined well only for the on-loan Northampton man to see his shot deflect onto the base of the post and from the resulting corner, Sercombe's shot was hacked off the line.
However, it had bene a disappointing half from City, who were a far cry from the side that had performed so well in their last four matches.
It was a better start to the second half from Exeter though with Grimes trying his luck from a free kick that was straight down the throat of Cousins.
Cureton, a constant menace, tried to catch out Pym with an instinctive lob, but the 19-year-old was equal to it, while Bennett guided a shot into Cousins' arms from Moore-Taylor's cross.
David Wheeler and Keohane were introduced for Nichols and Sercombe, who appeared to limp off, but while Exeter were dominating possession, they were struggling to carve out chances.
The home side were looking to kill the game at every opportunity and referee Keith Stroud, who had a good game, booked Jack Connors for time wasting.
Grimes curled a shot just high and wide from 20 yards after another lung-bursting run forward from the impressive Ribeiro and Wheeler headed straight at Cousins from a Moore-Taylor cross.
However, with 11 minutes remaining, Nicholls got in behind Matt Partridge and advanced into the penalty area before he was brought down by the Dagenham full-back.
There was some delay before the penalty was allowed to be taken and the responsibility fell on the shoulders of Keohane. He made no mistake by sending the 'keeper the wrong way for his second goal of the season.
It was no more than the Grecians deserved for their second half dominance, but it was Nicholls last bit of action as he was replaced by Matt Jay.
Substitute Christian Doidge volleyed a half chance high from 18 yards for Dagenham and Cureton was denied by a superb Moore-Taylor block.
Seven minutes of stoppage time were added on at the end of the 90 minutes and in the first minute of those, Wheeler almost gathered Ribeiro's cross, but the ball ran free and he collided with Cousins.
However, the Grecians won it in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Keohane laid the ball wide to Ribeiro and his first time cross was headed into the top corner by Davies. Cousins got a hand to it, but could not keep it out.
Dagenham & Redbridge (4-5-1): Cousins; Batt, Saah, Partridge, Connors; Hemmings (Porter 73), Labadie, Ogogo, Boucard (Doidge 82), Chambers; Cureton. Substitutes (not used): O'Brien (gk), Doe, Green, Goldberg, Yusuff.
Goal: Cureton 10.
Bookings: Ogogo, Hemmings, Boucard, Connors, Batt, Saah.
Exeter City (5-2-3): Pym; Butterfield, Ribeiro, Oakley, Moore-Taylor, Davies; Sercombe (Keohane 69), Grimes; A Nicholls (Jay 81), Bennett, T Nichols (Wheeler 67). Substitutes (not used): Hamon (gk), Dawson, Jay, Riley-Lowe, Tillson.
Goal: Keohane (pen) 81, Davies 90
Bookings: Butterfield, Bennett.
Referee: K Stroud (Hampshire)
Attendance: 2,138.
![Dagenham & Redbridge 1 Exeter City 2: Match report]( "Dagenham & Redbridge 1 Exeter City 2: Match report")
