Gateshead’s unbeaten start to the National League season came to a shuddering halt as the overnight leaders were thrashed 7-1 at Dagenham & Redbridge.

Dagenham put Gateshead to the sword with two goals each for on-loan Luton midfielder Dion Pereira, Junior Morais and Josh Rees, while Josh Umerah was also on target.

An own goal from Paul Kalambayi was Gateshead’s only reply before the interval as the visitors crashed to their first defeat in eight league games this season.

Pereira fired home from Morais’ knockdown before Rees chested Tom Eastman’s neat flick into the net to put the Daggers 2-0 up in the 16th minute.

Kalambayi’s own goal reduced the deficit for Gateshead, but Morais curled home Dagenham’s third in the 64th minute and added his second goal after Pereira had converted from the spot.

Umerah powered home the Daggers’ sixth at the far post from a corner and Rees completed the rout with his second goal deep in stoppage time.