Dagenham 3 Margate 0

MARGATE defender Iain O’Connell will be out of action for at least a fortnight after suffering a badly bruised and gashed head in the defeat at Dagenham on Saturday.

O'Connell, starting a match for the first time since breaking his leg against Barnet last September, was injured in a clash of heads with his own goalkeeper Phil Smith, and was carried off on a stretcher and taken to the nearby Oldchurch Hospital at Romford.

First reports suggested he had suffered a fractured skull, but happily for O’Connell and Margate those fears proved unfounded but it’s still another blow for the unlucky defender.

He is resting at home in Southend this week, and due to see an eye specialist once the swelling goes down. O”Connell was named skipper in place of Graham Porter who missed the game as his wife gave birth to a baby girl on Saturday.

Margate boss Chris Kinnear said: “Iain must be one of the unluckiest guys you could have in the game. It is very disappointing for him but he is a very brave lad, and hopefully he will bounce back from it.”

It was the Daggers' 10th Conference win in a row - a new league record.