Dagenham & Redbridge vs Portsmouth Preview

Last updated : 09 February 2015 By Jim Bonner

Pompey travel to the London borough of Barking and Dagenham in search of only their second away win of the season in the league.

Team News

Andy Awford is likely to stick with the same team and formation that beat Hartlepool as Paul McCallum is still banned and Ben Chorley is out with an ankle injury.

Dagenham manager Wayne Burnett is also likely to stick with the same team that won 2-0 at York on Saturday as his team have found some form.

The Match

Last season, Portsmouth followed a 1-0 win over Hartlepool with a 4-1 thrashing of Dagenham and Redbridge on their own turf to pull clear of the relegation zone. Pompey fans will be hoping for the same again with both teams currently on 33 points in League Two.

However, that's unlikely to be the case this time around as the Daggers have hit some form having taken seven points from their last three games to pull themselves away from the bottom two, making this a pivotal match in the basement division relegation battle.

It would be completely understandable for Awford to continue playing the wing-back formation after Saturday's win and although nothing should be read into the last game given how terrible Hartlepool were, this formation should be suited to playing away from home where Pompey have looked more solid in recent weeks with only one (unfortunate) defeat in the last four matches on the road.

And now Matt Tubbs has finally scored his first goal for Pompey, he should be a threat tomorrow evening in a match where Awford's men may not create too many chances. Dagenham have really tightened up at the back recently due to the form of Ayo Obileye who has just extended his loan from Charlton until the end of the season.

The Pompey defence will have to keep an eye out for tricky winger Billy Bingham and the evergreen Jamie Cureton who is still scoring goals at the age of 39 and can still bamboozle defences with his movement.

One thing that might work in Pompey's favour is that they have won every match played against the Daggers so far and some of their fans claim their side are "overawed" when they play against the biggest name in this division.

It will probably be a close match tomorrow and decided by the odd goal if there are any scored. A win would relieve most of the pressure on the manager, a draw wouldn't be a terrible result but a defeat will see the same old questions asked yet again with more fans calling for Awford's head.

Predicted Starting Line-Ups

Dagenham

GK: Mark COUSINS

RB: Abu OGOGO

CB: Ayo OBILEYE

CB: Scott DOE

LB: Joe WIDDOWSON

RM: Billy BINGHAM

CM: Luke HOWELL

CM: Andre BOUCAUD

LM: Ashley HEMMINGS

CF: Alex JAKUBIAK

CF: Jamie CURETON

Pompey

GK: Paul JONES

RWB: Josh PASSLEY

CB: Jack WHATMOUGH

CB: Paul ROBINSON

CB: Joe DEVERA

LWB: Dan BUTLER

CM: James DUNNE

CM: Danny HOLLANDS

CM: Jed WALLACE

CF: Ryan TAYLOR

CF: Matt TUBBS

Last Time: Dagenham & Redbridge 1 Portsmouth 4 (League Two - 12/04/2014)

Danny Hollands scored after just three minutes to give Pompey a dream start and the lead was soon doubled Michael Drennan headed in a second goal midway through the half.

Abu Agogo headed in a goal of his own before the break to halve the deficit but a superb strike from Drennan in the second half and a late goal from Jed Wallace saw Andy Awford's men record their biggest away win of the season and a very important three points.

My Prediction

Dagenham's form has improved whilst Pompey have tightened up at the back. This should be a tight game which will end in a draw.

Dagenham & Redbridge 1 Portsmouth 1