Dagenham & Redbridge boss Ben Strevens wants a big performance from his side in their Essex derby at Southend United on Saturday.
Daggers experienced mixed emotions over the Easter weekend, winning 1-0 at Boreham Wood on Good Friday, but losing by a single goal at home to Chesterfield on Monday.
It left them in 10th place, two points behind the Shrimpers in ninth and seven off the play-off places with only four games remaining and a trip to Altrincham on Tuesday.
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And Strevens is keen to earn bragging rights against their local rivals, after the earlier meeting at Victoria Road ended all square.
“I’m well aware of what it means to the people, to the fans, who we are and what we represent,” he told the club website.
“It’s going to be a big game, they’re in and around us as well, they’ve had a season where they’ve had all sorts of things going on off the pitch, but they’ve had a team and management team that’s conducted themselves really well, every single game they’ve played.
“It will be a tough test but we went there and won last year, so we can go there and win and I know how much it’ll mean to the people and know how much it means to our fans.
“Hopefully we can go there and put in a strong performance. It will be a tough test but I’m looking forward to it.
“It’s a great game, fantastic people, management team, I get on really well with Kev [Maher] and Darren Currie.
“We’ll be trying to beat each other so this is a game for all of us to look forward to and hopefully we come back with three points.”
Daggers came back with the three points from Boreham Wood thanks to Inih Effiong’s 12th-minute header and even saw the striker have a penalty saved.
But they were brought back down to earth by the Spireites as Liam Mandeville’s 70th-minute header earned the visitors the points and Strevens is aware their home form has to be better moving forwards.
“It’s been a hard Bank Holiday weekend and I was desperate to try and get another three points and make it six out of a possible six,” he added.
“We’ve only got the three and we’ve got to really focus in on the next two away games in terms of Southend and Altrincham.
“I’m desperate to end the season well here as well, home form has got to be the foundation of what we want.
“If we win away at Torquay, Boreham Wood, Southend hopefully, they’re bonuses in this league. Home form gets you play-offs.
“So for us next year and the end of this season I want to win home games, that’s got to be our biggest thing. Win those home games, then whatever you get on the road takes care of itself.”
Daggers were without captain Matt Robinson on Monday and face an anxious wait to see if he can return at Roots Hall.
“He went into a real big challenge at the back end of the game against Boreham Wood and hurt his knee,” said Strevens.
“Hopefully Robbo is going to be ok, we’re going to have to see the next couple of days. He was nowhere near playing today, but we’ll have to see playing for the weekend or next week whether he’ll be back.
“Westy and Angelo starting, it was touch and go whether I’d start those two, but because of the minutes they’ve played and the players they are for us, made the change.
“It meant a change of shape as well with only having two midfielders there and Angelo playing ahead of them, big Syd coming on the wing and Westy on the other side.
“It was people getting a chance, Syd deserved it after the way he played the last home game. He only missed out because he hadn’t fully trained. It was only right he went straight back into the team, he was ready to go.”
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