POOR defending proved costly as the Shrimps suffered defeat to old rivals Dagenham at the Globe Arena.
For the second time in three games the Shrimps made a shocking start and conceded a goal almost immediately from the kick off and were made to pay.
Former Shrimps loanee Joe Widdowson crossed from the left with a half clearance falling to Howell whose shot took a deflection and beat Andreas Arestidou after just 17 seconds.
After the shock Morecambe found their way back into the game on 24 minutes.
Mark Cousins could only parry Paul Mullin’s speculative shot with Jamie Devitt keeping the ball alive. Shaun Beeley’s deflected effort from the right side of the area fell into the path of Fleming who bundled the ball home from close range.
The Shrimps were still far from convincing however and Ashley Hemmings should have put the visitors ahead on the half hour but Andreas Arestidou saved well with the Dagenham man in on goal.
The game went from end to end.
First on 37 minutes Alan Goodall brought a fine save from Cousins diving at full stretch high to his right after a quick free-kick.
Then at the other end Andre Boucard curled an effort from 20 yards narrowly wide after he was afforded too much space on the edge of the area.
The Shrimps were first to have an opening after the break but Paul Mullin couldn’t make proper contact on a header from Beeley’s right-wing cross.
But it was the visitors who got themselves back in front with another goal right at the start of the half.
Arestidou, Ryan Edwards and Mark Hughes left the ball for each other with Obileye capitalising on the mix-up as the ball dropped in the area to poke an effort over the Shrimps stopper and in on 48 minutes.
Things got worse for the Shrimps four minutes later with Cureton converting Hemmings’ left-wing cross from close range for his 12th goal of the season.
The Shrimps had a mountain to climb but immediately went on the front foot with Goodall going close for the second time in the game with his header ruled to have been cleared off the line by Widdowson as the hosts appealed for a goal on 56 minutes.
Jim Bentley’s side continued to be in the ascendancy but could only create half chances in their search for an unlikely point.
Cureton should have made sure of the points nine minutes from time but could only scuff his effort when again found by a Hemmings centre.
The Shrimps kept pushing but were ultimately made to pay for their earlier errors.
Kevin Ellison could only head straight at Cousins before three minutes into stoppage time Redshaw drove along the byline on the left and scored from the tightest of angles with Dagenham already sure of victory.
Morecambe: Arestidou, Edwards (Amond 54), Hughes (capt), Parrish, Beeley, Fleming, Goodall, Wilson, Devitt (Redshaw 40), Mullin (Sampson 78), Ellison. Subs not used: Jones, Kenyon, Williams, McGowan.
Booked: Edwards, Fleming
Dagenham & Redbridge: Cousins, Ogogo (capt), Doe, Obileye, Widdowson, Howell, Boucard (Connors 90), Bingham, Jakubiak (Yusuff 82), Cureton, Hemmings. Subs not used: O’Brien, Saah, Chambers, Carr, Jones.
Referee: Tony Harrington
Attendance: 1,351 (70 away)