Dagenham & Redbridge took a huge step towards the play-offs with a hard-fought crucial win over promotion rivals Chester at Victoria Road.
It was a frenetic battle throughout and Chester wasted a number of opportunities, but the battle hardened Daggers held on to claim arguably their biggest win of the season so far.
Daggers opened the game stronger and only a few last-ditch clearances prevented them from taking an early lead but Chester wrestled control of the match and with Daggers on the back foot they soon found themselves within a whisker of scoring the all important opening goal.
Mark Quayle was twice denied by goalkeeper Tony Roberts on 25 minutes and five minutes before the break Scott Guyett thundered a loose ball against the crossbar with Roberts beaten.
Then Daryl Clare, usually so lethal, chased Lee Matthews' mistimed header but somehow his shot faded past the far post.
That miss proved crucial as just a minute later John McGrath jinked down the left and his deep cross saw on-loan Steve Watts power home the header to give Daggers the all important half-time advantage.
The second half saw Chester press but Roberts pushed out Kevin McIntyre's corner from the goal-line and Phil Bolland's header deflected off an unwitting Matthews and over the bar.
Daggers almost wrapped up the game in a rare attack. Watts' flick-on saw predatory Mark Stein meet the ball on the volley, but he lobbed the ball against the outside of the post.
Now it was all hands on deck for Daggers. Substitute Jon Brady's cross saw Roberts drop the ball at the feet of Mark Quayle, but he half-volleyed over and then substitute Michael Twiss outran Steve Heffer, before cutting back a cross.
Then Clare looked to have equalised only for Roberts to make an astonishing save as he was about to strike the ball home.
Chester still pressed and Daggers still cleared.