It's sad from a Daggers perspective to reflect that the last time they met Bournemouth back in late October, it was League 2's match of the day - a match-up between the side top of the division (Bournemouth) and a Daggers outfit lying third in the table.
That cold evening at Dean Court produced Daggers' only goalless draw of the campaign so far, in a match in which both protagonists effectively cancelled each other out, although most of those who witnessed it might have awarded it to John Still's side "on points'' - to use boxing parlance, on the basis of greater domination and better chances.
Sadly, while the Cherries from the south coast have maintained their challenge throughout the last four months, Daggers' bid has fallen away badly to find us going into the return clash at Victoria Road in 12th place on the back of four successive defeats, while Bournemouth lie second behind now long-time leaders Rochdale.
The fourth of those Daggers defeats came at Rotherham on Tuesday night, where a fortnight earlier, the Cherries went to the vast bowl that is the Don Valley Stadium and triumphed 3-1 over hosts and fellow promotion candidates Rotherham to score a morale-boosting victory.
Last Tuesday evening they did similiarly when pitted against the highest profile side in the division this season Notts County. And a 2-0 win over the Magpies, Sven Goran Erikkson and all, underlined Bournemouth's promotion credentials for the remainder of the season.
Last season the south coast club were deducted 17 points imposed for going into administration, but along with Rotherham, who suffered the same punishment, both clubs showed that they had enough about them to stave off relegation and finish out of the bottom two places - Rotherham, particularly, by some distance.
This season, the youngest managerial duo in the country have had the Cherries challenging from the off.
Early pacesetters, Bournemouth have not been away from the leading positions all campaign under the managerial leadership of their former player and Centre of Excellence manager Eddie Howe, who succeeded the much-travelled Northern Irish international Jimmy Quinn.
Howe has another former Cherries player Jason Tindall as his assistant. Both are just 32. For Howe it's a first and highly successful stab at management, while Tindall cut his managerial teeth along the coast at former Blue Square Premier club Weymouth.
Howe had to largely rely on the side assembled by his predecessor Quinn, as he was only able to add two players from neighbouring non-league outfits during the summer, due to a transfer embargo imposed the previous February.
One was midfielder Anton Robinson, from Weymouth, the other former Daggers target and ex-Salisbury winger Liam Feeney.
Recently he has also added on-loan full-back Rhoys Wiggins, from Norwich, another player that Daggers boss John Still admires and has inquired about.
In recent weeks, Howe has been relying on experience and in League 2 it doesn't come much bigger than the Cherries hero Steve Fletcher, now 37 and 15 seasons with the club, who has been restored to a side that also includes Lee Bradbury, just 34, once of Portsmouth and Manchester City.
They both add their guile and know-how to the scoring abilities of Cherries' top marksman Brett Pitman, who has 15 goals this season from30 appearances.
But generally, Howe and Tindall have assembled a side in their own image, with the two veterans something of an exception to an otherwise youthful squad.
Daggers boss John Still is still very pleased with his young side despite their recent winless run and won't make any panic changes after four successive losses.
"If I bring a different player, it will only be another young player replacing one already in the side. That's the way we work at this club and it's the only way we can.''
January signing Phil Walsh has had the final 20 minutes of the last two encounters, while Graeme Montgomery was brought on for the closing stages of the defeat at Rotherham. New French recruit Romain Vincelot has a slight calf strain.
Match referee is West Midlands' official Oliver Langford, who took charge of Daggers' October visit to Macclesfield, that ended 2-2.
Likely line-ups:
Bournemouth: Jalal, Wiggins, Garry, Bartley, Pearce, Hollands, Robinson, Feeney, Bradbury, Fletcher, Pitman.
Dagenham & R: (from):- Roberts, Ogogo, Doe, Arber, McCrory, Green, Vincelot, Pack, Gain, Spiller, Nurse, Currie, Benson, Scott, Thomas, Walsh, Montgomery.
Referee: Oliver Langford
Travel updates for Saturday:
London Underground (District Line)
Please note all weekend the District Line is suspended between East Ham and Upminster. Rail replacement bus services operate.
Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 February, suspended between East Ham and Upminster. Rail replacement bus services operate.
Service B: between East Ham and Barking.
Service C: between Barking and Dagenham East, calling at Upney, Becontree and Dagenham Heathway.
Service D:between Barking and Upminster, calling at Dagenham East, Elm Park, Hornchurch and Upminster Bridge.
London Underground tickets are valid on all reasonable London Bus routes.
Journey times may be increased by up to 50 minutes.
c2c rail
Due to planned engineering works, train services will be unable to operate between Barking and West Horndon and between Upminster and Chafford Hundred.
A revised service will be in operation across all c2c routes. Train services will operate as follows:
- Fenchurch Street - Shoeburyness via Rainham, calling at all stations to Barking, then fast to Grays, then fast to Pitsea, then all stations to Shoeburyness.
- Fenchurch Street - Shoeburyness via Rainham, calling at all stations to Shoeburyness
- Chafford Hundred - Grays shuttle service
- West Horndon - Southend Central shuttle service
Rail Replacement Bus services will operate as follows:
- Barking - West Horndon, calling at Upminster
- Barking - Chafford Hundred, calling at all stations
Customers travelling from/to Chafford Hundred should travel to Grays and change for connecting train services to/from London stations.
