Hereford United will be striving to resurrect their challenge for a top-five spot in the Nationwide Conference by securing their first victory in six league matches at in-form Dagenham & Redbridge this Saturday.

The Bulls will be aiming to build on their outstanding performance in the cruel FA Cup defeat against Second Division leaders Wigan and get their league campaign back on track.

Despite their poor run, ninth-placed Hereford still boast the third best away record in the division and should take comfort from having already beaten last year's runners-up 2-1 at the beginning of October.

But it promises to be a very stern test for United because the 10th-placed Essex club are unbeaten in their last five Conference matches and held table-topping Yeovil to a 2-2 draw in their last league outing.

United boss Graham Turner said: "The players did very well against Wigan and should have won the game. But now it's back to the bred and butter of the Conference and it's about repeating the same level of performance that we showed against Wigan."

On-loan striker Chukki Eribenne has returned to AFC Bournemouth after a month's spell at Edgar Street which yielded two goals in six league and cup matches, while striker John Grant has resumed full training following injury and could be in contention for a place in the squad.

But United are sweating on the fitness of defender Matt Clarke (swollen knee), while Turner has extended Scott Voice's loan spell at Dr Martens outfit Hinckley United for a second month.

Turner said: "The obvious problem is that we have not been scoring goals and perhaps we have the answer already within the squad. Ben Smith is fit again, and he can score goals, Grant comes into the reckoning again, and Paul Parry can play up front."

He added: "Our aim must be to finish in the top five of the division and I have to say that I have not yet seen five teams in the Conference better than us."

Goalkeeper Matt Baker and left-back Michael Rose return to Edgar Street tomorrow after the England National Game XI's midweek clash with their Italian counterparts in Cremona. They were both named in the starting line-up.