It's the quickest turn-around of the season.
It's barely five weeks since Daggers last met Northampton Town, but in a quirk of the fixture computer, the sides clash again here at Victoria Road tomorrow.
And John Still's men will feel that they owe the Cobblers one from the previous encounter at a freezing Sixfields Stadium, on Boxing Day.
In a dour and somewhat uneventful post-Xmas clash - which, frankly, neither side seemed worthy of winning - Northampton snatched three vital points with an 88th minute winner.
Substitute Billy McKay shot on the turn to produce a push-away save from Tony Roberts. The effort went behind the Daggers keeper, who swooped on the line to hook the shot away from the net. But an assistant referee's flag intervened and on consultation, the referee ruled it had crossed the line and awarded the goal. To this day, keeper Roberts swears the effort never went in!
But that fortunate winner proved a real catalyst for the Cobblers, who are unbeaten since that victory. They went into the Boxing Day clash with two draws, but that victory has sparked a run of nine games unbeaten and lifted Ian Sampson's side from 20th (on December 26) to 13th currently.
Among results in that run are notable 2-0 away wins at second placed Bournemouth and at Macclesfield and a third away success, 2-1 at bottom-of-the-table Darlington. There have also been a trio of drawn results, against Barnet, Chesterfield and last weekend with Burton.
To aid his side's efforts, Sampson welcomed back club skipper Craig Hinton, after a groin injury, in the Boxing Day game and experienced midfielder Andy Holt, after ankle trouble.
Both have remained injury free since, ex-Bristol Rovers man Hinton marshalling the Cobblers rearguard, while Holt, once of Oldham and Wrexham (when a League club) has chipped in with some vital goals, including last weekend's leveller in the 1-1 home draw with Burton.
Manager Sampson is a veteran of over 250 appearances in Northampton Claret shirt and has held posts at the club as youth team, reserve and assistant manager - to his predecessor Stuart Gray. He took charge after a caretaker spell in September.
The Northampton board rewarded his loyalty and popularity despite the Cobblers not winning a game during Sampson's caretaker spell, but that faith has been rewarded with their run of the past two months.
Sampson is assisted by the more experienced Malcolm Crosby, who is best known for steering Sunderland to a League Cup final, when in caretaker charge on Wearside. Sampson began his League career with the Black Cats and has known his number two since those days.
The Cobblers currently have their muscular forward Adebayo Akinfenwa injured, Boxing Day hero McKay has been deputising, but generally manager Sampson has been fielding a settled side.
Daggers will give new Irish-born left-back Damien McCrory, signed on Monday from Plymouth Argyle, his club debut and manager John Still, back at the helm to take charge, hints that there might also be a couple of changes to what has been a fairly settled line-up, in view of the side's four losses in the last five games.
Match referee is Simon Hooper, who was in the middle for Daggers' opening day of the season win at Crewe.
Dagenham & Redbridge: from:- Roberts, Ogogo, Doe, Arber, McCrory, Vincelot, Green, Pack, Spiller, Gain, Benson, Scott, Thomas.
Northampton: Dunn, Johnson, Beckwith, Hinton, Gilbert, Guttridge, Gilligan, Osman, Holt, Herbert, McKay.
Referee: S Hooper (Wilts)
