The Hatters had a Valentine's Day to forget as their chances of Football League survival took a huge blow with defeat at Dagenham and Redbridge to leave them deep in relegation trouble.

Two goals from Daggers right-back Danny Foster were the difference on a day which also saw Town skipper Kevin Nicholls limp off with a suspected hamstring injury.

Despite pulling a goal back from Ian Henderson the Hatters couldn't find an equaliser to leave them without a win in 2009 and 21 points from safety and 16 points adrift at the bottom.

Hatters manager Mick Harford made three changes to the side that lost 2-1 at home to Bury a fortnight ago.

Goalkeeper Lewis Price made his debut between the sticks after signing on-loan from Derby County and Ian Roper returned from a one-match suspension to partner Mark Bower at the centre of the Town defence.

The other change saw Rossi Jarvis recalled to form a four-man midfield. Sam Parkin was sacrificed - dropping to the bench - which meant Tom Craddock partnered Kevin Gallen in attack.

Dagenham, meanwhile, were missing 17-goal striker Paul Benson through injury but manager John Still gave a debut to Doug Loft in the centre of midfield.

With the Hatters in desperate need of the points at the bottom of League 2, they arrived at a cold and sunny Victoria Road 21 points of safety, and looking for their fifth away victory of the season.

The Town almost went behind on nine minutes when a dangerous lofted cross from Sam Saunders from the left caused confusion in the Dagenham penalty area but Price was on hand to pounce on the loose ball with the defence asleep.

A minute later the Daggers' 11-goal striker Ben Strevens headed wide of Price's right-hand post as they hosts continued to press.

You could see why Dagenham were one of the division's top scorers, and they were denied an opening goal on 12 minutes when Strevens' deflected shot found the side netting after Saunders had latched on a misplaced pass by Gallen.

The Daggers came even closer to taking the lead a minute later when a dangerous Saunders corner was headed off the line by Jarvis.

But the hosts finally made the Hatters pay on 20 minutes when Danny Foster put Dagenham in front.

After the Town had failed to clear another dangerous Saunders set-piece, Matt Ritchie crossed the ball from the left to find Foster who was left to get the better of Bower and smash home a powerful left-foot strike past the hapless Price from six yards.

But the Hatters responded well to going behind, and were denied an instant equaliser when Asa Hall's shot from 20 yards came back off the right-hand post.

From the resulting rebound Jarvis failed to keep his shot down from the right-edge of the penalty area and the ball sailed harmlessly over Tony Roberts's crossbar.

As the Town continued to press looking for a vital equaliser, Craddock had two chances in the space of two minutes to pull them level.

Firstly, he had a shot blocked from the left-side of the six yard box after being found by Kevin Nicholls' quick free-kick and then the £80,000 signing from Middlesbrough missed an even better chance when firing well over the bar from six yards after latching onto Roper's knock-down.

But the Hatters continued to press and were enjoying a very dominant spell.

On 37 minutes the Town spurned another two opportunities in as many minutes to get back on level terms.

Ian Henderson was causing the Daggers all sorts of problems down the left wing and his deflected shot almost squirmed past Roberts who did well to save with his feet after being sent the wrong away by the deflection.

As the loose ball ran free with Gallen, Craddock and Hall all waiting to pounce to tap home the equaliser, Dagenham captain Mark Arber was on hand to clear the danger with the goal gaping.

Then, a minute later, Henderson got the better of Magnus Okuonaghae to deliver a delightful left-wing cross to find Craddock with the goal at his mercy, the striker could only miss kick.

However, the miss-kick turned into a pass which found Jarvis down the right but his cross was headed wide by Hall.

HALF TIME: DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 1-0 LUTON TOWN

Dagenham begun the second half kicking directly into the sun behind Price's goal.

The Hatters looked to start the second period as they ended the first and five minutes after the restart the Daggers were indebted to their 39-year-old goalkeeper to deny Craddock with a brave save after the striker was played in by an intelligent Gallen pass.

On 53 minutes Price prevented the hosts from going two goals ahead when he saved Jon Nurse's shot with his legs after the striker latched onto a raking pass by Ritchie.

Ritchie was the first to react to the rebound but could only hit his shot against his team-mate Strevens.

A minute later Strevens had a rasping shot himself which flew narrowly wide of Price's goal but three minutes later on 57 minutes the Daggers doubled their lead.

Ritchie delivered a lovely cross-field pass to Saunders who got the better of Michael Spillane down the left to send a cross to the near post which was bundled home by Foster for his second goal of the afternoon.

Foster's two goals were his first two the right back had scored this season.

Once again to their credit, the Town responded well to conceding a goal, and this time they pulled goal back within two minutes.

Jarvis's cross from the right flank fell to the feet of Henderson who struck a well-hit shot from 15 yards that flew past Roberts into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

However, bad news followed for the Hatters on the hour when captain Nicholls went down with an injury and was replaced by Akanni-Sunday Wasiu.

After being rocked by losing their captain the Town did well to compose themselves and on 68 minutes, after winning a succession of left-wing corners, Jarvis' third flag-kick was met by Roper who saw his header hacked off the line by Saunders.

Two minutes later substitute Claude Gnakpa found Craddock again in the penalty box, but after turning brilliantly to get free of his marker the striker's shot was blocked at the last minute by Anwar Uddin and Roberts claimed the ball comfortably.

With nine minutes left Harford introduced Parkin as the Hatters went in search for an equaliser.

Parkin and Wasiu combined with four minutes left to tee-up Craddock but the striker shot wide of the target from 10 yards.

But despite three minutes of injury time the Hatters couldn't find an equaliser to continue their run of games without a win to seven.

FULL TIME: DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 2-1 LUTON TOWN

Dagenham & Redbridge: Roberts, Okuonghae, Ritchie, Loft, Saunders, Nurse, Griffiths, Strevens, Foster, Taiwo (Southam 72), Arber (Uddin 57).

Substitutes not used: Hogan, Thomas, Montgomery.

Booked: Strevens (77)

Luton Town: Price, Roper, Henderson (Parkin 81), Nicholls (Wasiu 61), Hall (Gnakpa 60), Asafu-Adjaye, Jarvis, Spillane, Bower, Craddock, Gallen.

Substitutes not used: Brill, Parkin, Howells.

Booked: Gallen (14), Henderson (27), Roper (74)

Referee: K Hill

Attendance: 2,310 (including 733 from Luton)