Dagenham & Redbridge are not out of relegation danger when they welcome Oldham Athletic to the Chigwell Construction Stadium in National League action on Saturday.
The home side seek a third win on the trot at their London home, while Oldham are out to end a four-match winless run in the gameweek 41 encounter.
Match preview
Dag & Red may have endured an awful run of results at Victoria Road for the bulk of this season, but recent matches in front of their fans have seen a turnaround in fortunes.
The Daggers have won two on the trot and three in four home games, including a 7-1 beatdown of Oxford City on February 10.
Ben Strevens will not be getting carried away after his team's latest back-to-back winning run at home, with consecutive losses following both previous occasions in which the Greater London club have claimed two on the trot in front of their supporters.
With the season in its final weeks, last season's 10th-placed side find themselves two positions lower this time, even if only three points separate them from Rochdale in 10th.
There remains a threat of relegation, with Dag & Red just six points ahead of York, seven clear of Kidderminster and Dorking Wanderers, who admittedly need to go on a run to see the capital club fall that low in the concluding weeks of 2023-24.
As for Oldham, one victory in seven has seen the club from Greater Manchester fall out of the National League play-off places, even if the ninth-placed club remain within touching distance of Altrincham in seventh (two points) and three adrift of sixth-placed Halifax Town.
While ending in the playoff spots is achievable, the underwhelming results since late February must be reversed to ensure a promising end to the campaign.
Oldham's away form is the reason for their encouraging campaign — the Latics have secured 33 points on the road, outdone by two clubs — but Micky Mellon's men suffered a setback on their last away game, falling 2-0 to Aldershot Town.
That defeat ended Oldham's nine-game undefeated run in the division (seven wins), and they seek a response to that reverse this weekend.
Having avoided consecutive away defeats since December 2022, the visiting fans should be confident ahead of this weekend's visit to Victoria Road.
Team News
Strevens is expected to name an unchanged side in Saturday's fixture, utilising either a 4-2-3-1 or pushing Josh Rees forward to partner Harry Phipps up top.
Inih Effiong (17 goals plus assists) tops everyone on the Daggers team, but a muscle tear has ruled out the forward since February, seeing the playoff-chasing side lose some attacking threat in the last month.
Oldham could also reuse most of the players utilised in the 2-2 draw with Chesterfield last Saturday.
James Norwood's 17 goals have been outdone by just eight players in the division, making the striker the Latics' primary goal threat — he has netted 10 more than Mike Fondop.
Dagenham & Redbridge possible starting lineup:
Justham; Ling, Longe-King, Eastman, Page; Appiah-Forson, Hessenthaler; Pereira, Rees, Hill; Phipps
Oldham Athletic possible starting lineup:
Hudson; McGahey, Raglan, Logan, Kitching; Lundstram, Sheron, Conlon, Gardner; Dallas, Norwood
We say: Dagenham & Redbridge 1-2 Oldham Athletic
On the one hand, you are inclined to back Dag & Red for a third straight home victory, but Oldham showing consistency away from home for so long means backing the Greater Manchester club to return to winning ways on their travels is a better bet.
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