SUCH is the intensity of the League Two promotion race that Dagenham and Redbridge face yet another six-pointer against Darlington at Victoria Road on Saturday.

John Still’s side bounced back into the play-off places after the weekend’s win over fellow hopefuls Rochdale, and they remain wedged in the top seven thanks to Tuesday night's draw at Grimsby.

But the rest of the field are keeping pace. Indeed, runaway leaders Wycombe Wanderers are fast being dragged back into the pack as fatigue begins to set in with the runners approaching the final straight.

The Daggers currently occupy fifth place in the table and are just two points off second, although on the flip side, it is merely a three point drop to tenth.

This week’s opponents have catapulted themselves above Dagenham into fourth after a 1-0 win over Rotherham in midweek and are in good form.

Saturday’s defeat to Shrewsbury is the Quakers’ only defeat in six games, and there is little question that Still’s troops will have their work cut out if they are to leapfrog them once again.

However, Daggers have demonstrated plenty of battling qualities of late, and they were forced to come from behind to earn a point at lowly Grimsby.

The hosts opened the scoring in the 19th minute as Dean Sinclair rounded Tony Roberts in the visitors’ goal before squaring for Stuart Elliot to tap in.

Grimsby could have doubled their advantage soon after but Roberts denied Adam Proudlock.

That proved to be the stimulus for the Daggers as they drew level soon after through forward Jon Nurse.

He collected the ball from strike partner Ben Strevens and sent his left-footed shot arrowing into the far corner.

Meanwhile Leyton Orient defender Aiden Palmer has been brought in on a month-long loan deal to fill in for the injured Scott Griffiths.