Promotion hopefuls Halifax Town will be bidding to continue their strong run of form when they welcome relegation-threatened Dagenham & Redbridge to the Shay in the National League on Tuesday night.
The home side are currently fifth in the National League table, seven points ahead of eighth-placed Altrincham, while Dagenham & Redbridge are 20th, level on points with 21st-placed Wealdstone.
Match preview
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Halifax will enter Tuesday’s contest off the back of a 3-0 success over Sutton United, which made it three wins in a row in the National League, also overcoming Forest Green Rogers and Yeovil Town this month.
Chris Millington‘s side are fifth in the National League table, boasting a record of 17 wins, 11 draws and eight defeats from their 36 matches this season to collect 62 points, which has left them comfortably inside the playoff spots.
The Shaymen are 10 points behind third-placed Forest Green Rovers and 12 from York City in second, but they sit just a point behind fourth-placed Oldham Athletic, and it would be a surprise to see them miss out on the playoff at this stage.
Halifax have not actually been beaten in the National League since the start of February, but they have performed better on their travels this season than in front of their own supporters.
Indeed, the promotion hopefuls only have the 11th-best home record in the fifth tier this season, but they have the second-best record on their travels, picking up 33 points from 18 games on the road.
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Dagenham & Redbridge will enter this match off the back of a 3-1 home defeat to Tamworth, which stretched the team’s winless run in the fifth tier of English football to 13 matches.
Lewis Young‘s side have not been victorious in the league since New Year’s Day, with their disastrous form in recent months leaving them dangerously close to the relegation zone entering the final straight.
The Daggers are 20th in the table, only outside of the relegation zone on goal difference, while they have played two games more than Wealdstone, who currently sit just below them in the division.
Dagenham & Redbridge have the third-worst away record in the National League this season, only picking up 13 points from their 18 games on their travels, recording just two victories in the process.
The reverse match between these two sides earlier this season ended in a 1-1 draw, while Halifax are unbeaten in their last seven matches against the Daggers dating back to May 2021.
Team News
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Halifax head coach Millington could name an unchanged side from Saturday’s 3-0 success over Sutton considering the impressive nature of the performance in Surrey.
Florent Hoti has been a standout performer for the team this season, contributing five goals and four assists, and there will again be a spot in the starting side for the 24-year-old.
Luca Thomas has two goals and two assists since his arrival on loan from Leeds United, meanwhile, and the 21-year-old is again in line to feature in the final third of the field.
As for Dagenham & Redbridge, Chris Francis was sent off against Tamworth on Saturday, so there will have to be a change in the middle of the defence on Tuesday night.
Harry Phipps is expected to be the player to benefit, with the Englishman in line for a spot in the back five.
Aaron Loupalo-Bi has only managed one goal in 11 appearances for the club since his arrival on loan from Fulham during the January transfer window, but there is again expected to be a spot at centre-forward for the teenager.
Halifax Town possible starting lineup:
Johnson; Sutcliffe, Senior, Arthur, Galvin; Jenkins, Evans; Emmerson, Cappello, Hoti; Thomas
Dagenham & Redbridge possible starting lineup:
Jones; Rutherford, Kalambayi, Phipps, Hector, Clayton; N’Guessan, Hill, Hessenthaler, Khaleel; Loupalo-Bi
We say: Halifax Town 2-0 Dagenham & Redbridge
Three of the last four matches between these two sides have finished level, and Dagenham & Redbridge certainly have enough quality to secure a positive result on Tuesday night, but we are finding it incredibly difficult to look past a strong Halifax outfit.
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