After crashing out of the FA Cup last weekend, both Maidenhead United and Dagenham & Redbridge will be keen to get back to winning ways as National League football returns on Saturday.
Daryl McMahon's team sit just two points off the playoffs, with a victory having huge potential for the visitors heading into this fixture.
Match preview
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Maidenhead United were involved in an 11-goal thriller at the weekend which saw them knocked out of the FA Cup against fellow National League side Halifax Town.
It was a frantic game that the team will be keen not to repeat as they ended up losing 7-4, with the defensive side of the squad truly being tested throughout the 90 minutes.
Both Joshua Kelly and Emile Acquah were able to score braces in the match, with the two strikers heading into Saturday with plenty of confidence as to where the back of the net is.
However, after two matches in a row without a victory, Maidenhead will be keen to get their season back on track, but without a clean sheet since the start of October, goals could be needed.
Alan Devonshire's team sit just three points above the relegation zone at the moment, placing extra pressure on this particular fixture, as a defeat could see Southend United overtake them.
The visitors are enjoying a far different season at the moment as they are just two points away from being in a playoff position, which is something they will hope to have at the end of the weekend.
Considering the fact that the two teams directly above the Daggers play each other on Saturday, there will be an opportunity to overtake one of them, if they can secure three points.
No team have scored more goals this season (29) than Dagenham & Redbridge, and considering the poor defensive displays of their opponents recently, they will no doubt have belief heading into this fixture.
However, McMahon shall be aware of the fact his team have now gone three games in a row without a victory, which is something they need to put right in order to maintain their position in the hunt for promotion.
Dagenham & Redbridge conceded in the third minute against Salford City on Saturday, and that is how the game finished, with the squad being unable to unlock anything to progress in the FA Cup.
Yet they did score twice in their previous National League game and they shall be hoping to get back to that type of attacking display at the weekend.
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Team News
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Shaun Donnellan missed the recent FA Cup fixture against Halifax Town due to a hamstring problem, and that is likely to keep him out of the team once again.
However, both Kelly and Acquah will be sure to lead the line for Maidenhead as they come off impressive individual performances at the weekend.
Paul McCallum is still suspended for this match after receiving a five-game ban, while Josh Walker is also a doubt due to a groin injury.
Elliot Johnson is another name the visitors could be without after he had 12 stitches this week for a deep cut, but McMahon could be boosted by the returns of Scott Wilson and Harry Phipps.
Maidenhead United possible starting lineup:
Lovett; Wells, Parry, Beckwith; Mingi, Asonganyi, Ferdinand, Adams, Barratt; Kelly, Acquah
Dagenham & Redbridge possible starting lineup:
Justham; Wright, Clark, Reynolds; Ling, Sagaf, Rance, Robinson, Weston; Vilhete, Balanta
We say: Maidenhead United 0-3 Dagenham & Redbridge
Despite the fact that Dagenham & Redbridge have only won once in their previous six league outings, this is the ideal fixture to get their season back on track.
Their attacking qualities and confidence in front of goal against a team that have been vulnerable defensively should allow them to secure three points.
Top tip
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Dagenham & Redbridge win with a probability of 45.59%. A win for Maidenhead United had a probability of 30.46% and a draw had a probability of 23.9%.
The most likely scoreline for a Dagenham & Redbridge win was 1-2 with a probability of 9.25%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 0-1 (8.37%) and 0-2 (6.98%). The likeliest Maidenhead United win was 2-1 (7.33%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (11.07%). The actual scoreline of 1-4 was predicted with a 2.1% likelihood. Our data analysis correctly predicted that Dagenham & Redbridge would win this match.
