Dagenham & Redbridge V Millwall
Saturday, 7 January 2012 – 13:00 GMT
FA Cup, Third Round
No fewer than 48 positions separate Dagenham in League Two from Millwall of the Championship – but will the apparent gulf show at Victoria Road? If the match goes according to recent form, probably not. As while The Daggers sit precariously above the relegation zone in the third tie of English Football, their form over the festive period trumps that of Millwall.
An impressive draw earned away promotion-chasing Southend on Monday maintained Dagenham’s eye-catching run, having now gone four unbeaten with two wins – both at home, against Barnet (3-0) and play-off occupants Gillingham (2-1) – and two draws, away at high-flyers Burton (1-1) and Southend (1-1). Therefore confidence should be at an all-time high, with John Still’s men having struggled for the most part this term down in the lower reaches of the division.
Contrastingly, Millwall are in the midst of a retched spell of form that has seen them win just two of their last ten matches – both of which were at home. Monday’s reverse at Bristol City was their second on the spin, and their third consecutive away from home. In fact, The Lions have lost an alarming number of games on their travels this season – nine in total, including a 5-0 loss to Wolves in the League Cup – and are fast approaching eight hours without an away goal.
Millwall are a shade of odds-on to make their superior status tell against Dagenham, but The Lions don’t pack the same roar on the road as they do at The Den and do look mighty exposed on paper.
A Dagenham win is 17/5 (VictorChandler), while the draw is available at 5/2 with several firms. I’m inclined to combine the both. PaddyPower go EVENS on Dagenham ‘Double Chance’, meaning we’re winners so long as Millwall continue their dismal away form and don’t prevail at Victoria Road.
Recommended Bet: Dagenham & Redbridge ‘Double Chance’ (So a home win or draw) @ EVENS with PaddyPower
Final score: 0:0
