Dag & Red v Port Vale preview

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Cristian Montano, Exodus Geohaghon and Adam Cunnington are all available for Dagenham & Redbridge as they welcome Port Vale to Victoria Road.

Striker Montano was denied permission by parent club West Ham to feature in last Saturday’s 1-1 FA Cup draw against Walsall, while fellow loanees Geohaghon and Cunnington were cup-tied due to their involvement earlier in the competition with Darlington and Kettering respectively.

Goalkeeper James Shea, second-choice to Chris Lewington, was this week recalled by parent club Arsenal due to his lack of first-team football with the League Two club and will be unavailable.

Lewington was forced to miss out against the Saddlers due to illness but is expected to be okay to face Vale, with David Hogan providing back-up on the bench. Winger Damian Scannell left the club this week and looks likely to rejoin former club Eastleigh.

Daggers put in a much-improved performance last weekend and it remains to be seen how much manager John Still will change things around, with striker Josh Scott making his first start in over a year.

Richard Rose was also drafted into defence to cover Damien McCrory (ankle), who will be assessed.

Meanwhile, captain Marc Richards will return to the Port Vale squad for the trip to Dagenham.

Richards has struggled all season with an ankle injury he sustained during the club’s summer preparations, with this latest absence lasting a month. However, he resumed full training this week as is in contention.

Fellow striker Ben Williamson also comes back into the reckoning after overcoming the knee injury he suffered in October. The Glenn Hoddle Academy graduate came through his second full 90 minutes in the space of a week as he played for the reserves on Wednesday night.

However, Gareth Owen will not be risked despite the defender returning to light training this week following Achilles and hernia problems.

Midfielders Lewis Haldane (broken leg) and Ryan Burge (knee) and on-loan striker Andrew Little (knee) continue their rehabilitation from long-term injuries.

Owing to their first-round exit from the FA Cup at the hands of non-league Grimsby, Vale have not played since November 25, when a goalless home draw against Torquay saw them equal a club record of failing to score in five successive games.