The Daggers difficult start to the season continued as they crashed out of the Johnstones Paint Trophy with this narrow defeat at The Valley on Tuesday.

John Still rang the changes with Chris Lewington starting in goal for his first appearance in senior football while Gareth Gwillim, Will Antwi, Damian Scannell and Jon Nurse replaced Damien McCrory, Scott Doe, Stuart Lewis and the departed Paul Benson.

However the big team news was in the home line up as Benson was thrown straight into the fray against his former club just 24 hours after making the switch to the Valley, giving the tie an extra edge.

The first chance of the evening fell to the visitors as early as the fourth minute when Scott Wagstaff cut in from the left before firing just wide of Lewington's right hand upright, but it was The Daggers who seemed to have settled quicker.

Scannell made a strong run down the left a minute later and when his dangerous cross was only parried by home keeper Ross Worner, Danny Green's shot was deflected wide by West Ham loanee Matt Fry.

Nurse then came close with a neat shot on the turn that was blocked by defender Miguel Llera while, in a bright start from The Daggers, Scannell then volleyed onto the roof of the net.

But slowly Charlton began to get on top. Benson had the opportunity to mark his Charlton debut with a goal when his shot from the edge of the area was tipped over the bar by Lewington in the 11th minute while the young goalkeeper then made an even better save three minutes later.

The impressive Lee Martin pulled the ball back from the right and the ex-Daggers striker looked odds on to score against his former club from six yards but Lewington somehow denied him again with an outstretched leg.

However after such a lively opening the game became a bit of a stalemate after that and despite it being played at a high tempo chances were at a premium so it remained goalless at the break.

But it was Charlton who looked far more dangerous in the early stages of the second period and they finally broke the deadlock twelve minutes after the resumption. Fry drilled the ball in from the left to Therry Racon on the edge of the penalty area and the Frenchmen's instant shot on the turn flew in via the left hand upright.

It was very nearly 2-0 less then three minutes later. Lewington once again won his personal duel with Benson but when he could only parry his former team mates header, Akpro Sodje was on hand to tap home the rebound. However his celebrations were cut short by the linesman's flag.

The Daggers nearly made the most of that reprieve when Green chipped the ball into the area with twenty minutes left but Romain Vincelot had it nicked off his toe by Jose Semedo just as he was about to volley it home.

Still made changes as he looked to get back in the tie, with Graeme Montgomery replacing Scannell and Darren Currie coming on for Green but it made little difference. Once again all their hard work came to nothing as the Daggers lacked any cutting edge up front and they could only watch at first hand just what they were missing as Benson was only denied the goal he deserved by a fine last ditch tackle from Gwillim.

However deep into injury time the visitors almost saved themselves as Currie beat two men down the right and when his shot was glanced goalwards by the head of Nurse at the near post and Worner was only just able to grab the ball at the second attempt with Josh Scott poised and the Daggers were out.

Away Attendance 520