Hackney started brightly, looking to get in behind the home side’s backline, to utilise the pace of Saloie Faal and Romaine Barnes-Wallace. On two separate occasions, Owen Duggan had to be quick off his line to snuff out the danger.

Barking & Dagenham slowly grew into the game and Alex Young tested the Hackney keeper from the edge of the area before Brown saw an effort flash wide of the upright.

The game continued at a frantic pace, with both sides looking to get forward whenever possible. It was, however, the home side who drew first blood. Brown picked up a short goal-kick, finding Alex Towse on the left. His exquisite, first-time pass released Basilio Rieno-Socoliche, who squared the ball for the onrushing Gavin to slot home for his first district goal.

It was just reward for the home side but the game was turned on its head as Hackney scored twice in a matter of minutes. First, Tom Hooder’s free kick was  acrobatically flicked home by Faal on the edge of the area.

Then, within a minute,  Faal grabbed his second after springing the home side’s offside trap before rounding Duggan to coolly slot home.

As half time approached, the home side felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Atoki’s goal-bound header was handled by Jermaine Kito on the line. However the referee waved the protests away and Barking & Dagenham found themselves a goal behind at the break.

Barking & Dagenham made a fast start to the second period and Brown was denied by an excellent save from Hasim Amla in the Hackney goal.

Gavin’s cross was then inches away from the head of Alex Towse and Young saw his volley well held.

Hackney remained dangerous on the break and only a smart save from Kieran  Pougoue denied Faal his hat trick.

The home side continued to press for the equaliser and Brown’s lung-busting run from his own half almost bought them level but Amla was equal to his low drive. Rieno-Socoliche then almost set up Towse with the home side’s next foray forward but his pass was over hit.

Hackney seemed happy to sit back and hit Barking & Dagenham on the break and they should have made sure of the game when they broke from a Barking & Dagenham corner. However, Pougoue produced an amazing triple save to deny Faal, Barnes-Wallace and Jayden Moss in a remarkable passage of play.

Barking & Dagenham were then denied what looked a clear-cut penalty when Brown was kicked in the head but they did manage to draw level soon after. Kye Calvey’s free-kick was somehow bundled home after a scramble in the Hackney box. Brown claimed the final touch, which the Hackney keeper thought he had stopped from going on the line.

The home side sensed the game was there for the taking and continued to pile on the pressure. Junior Ngala and Jay Modza-Smith both continued to push forward from the back and Rieno-Socoliche saw his snap shot fly narrowly wide.

With time almost up, and both teams thinking about extra time, Hackney broke Barking & Dagenham hearts by taking the lead once again. A hopeful punt forward released Faal, who calmly lifted the ball over the onrushing Pougoue and into the net.

The goal deflated the home side and Hackney rubbed salt into their wounds with a fourth. Barnes-Wallace picked the ball up on the touch line, cut inside and saw his fierce effort fly in to seal the game for his side.

Defeat was harsh on Barking & Dagenham, especially as it was probably their best performance of the season and they were left wondering what might have been at the final whistle.

Barking & Dagenham: A Young, A Towse, J Atoki, O Duggan, C Gavin, H Brown, J Ngala, B Rieno-Socoliche, K. Calvey, K. Pougoue, J Modza Smith