Eastleigh, looking to build on their recent victory against Aldershot Town, will host relegation-threatened Dagenham & Redbridge at the Silverlake Stadium on Wednesday night in the National League.
The hosts ended a miserable four-game losing streak by beating Aldershot 2-0 last time out, while the visitors are without a win in their last six coming into this one.
Match preview
© Imago
Eastleigh enjoyed a fantastic start to the 2024-25 National League season, winning all of their first four matches and securing a draw on matchday five, leaving them top of the league table.
However, they have endured a consistent fall down the standings in the subsequent 25 league fixtures, now sitting 13th in the table with 41 points after 30 games played.
During that stretch, the Spitfires have managed just six wins, alongside 10 draws and nine losses, including a particularly difficult period between September and November when they went nine matches without a victory.
Kelvin Davis's side do still trail the playoff places by only eight points, meaning they are still in the hunt for a top seven finish, and they will be boosted after they ended a four-game losing streak with a 2-0 win against Aldershot last time out.
The hosts will also be favourites heading into this one, as the visitors have failed to win any of their last seven National League fixtures, with three draws and four losses.
After narrowly missing out on a playoff place by just a point in 2021-22, Dag & Red have gradually slipped down the National League table in the following years.
They placed 10th in 2022-23 with 63 points and dropped to 15th in 2023-24 with 56 points, leaving them only four points above 21st-placed Boreham Wood in the relegation zone.
Dag & Red are on course for another slip down the table this campaign, currently placed 17th in the National League with just 34 points from 31 matches, meaning they are five points above the drop zone.
Lewis Young was appointed as the permanent manager of Dag & Red in January, but the new boss has failed to win any of his first six league matches, extending their winless league run to seven games.
Young will now be desperate to secure his first league win as the permanent manager, and Dag & Red will draw confidence from their recent record against Eastleigh, winning one and drawing two of their last three away visits.
Team News
Eastleigh ended their four-game losing streak with a superb 2-0 win against Aldershot last time out, meaning Davis may decide to name a similar starting side in this one.
Tyrese Shade scored his seventh league goal of the season in that match, and the forward is expected to lead the line alongside Jesurun Uchegbulam on Wednesday.
Dagenham & Redbridge have gone winless in their last seven National League fixtures, meaning Young may decide to make several changes to the starting 11 for this matchup.
Dion Pereira is Dag & Red's top scorer in the league with nine goals in 24 appearances, and the forward is expected to come back into the starting team here.
Eastleigh possible starting lineup:
McDonnell; Brindley, Fernandez, Francillette, Maher, Semenyo; Taylor, Close, Waruih; Uchegbulam, Shade
Dagenham & Redbridge possible starting lineup:
Justham; Clayton, Kalambayi, Eastman, Rutherford; Remy, Hessenthaler, Umerah, N'Guessan; Pereira, Harrack
We say: Eastleigh 2-1 Dagenham & Redbridge
Eastleigh will be boosted from their recent victory, while Dag & Red are winless in their last seven league matches, leading us to expect a home win here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
