The Daggers enter the weekend’s fixture in inconsistent form after responding to the disappointing FA Cup exit at the hands of Carshalton Athletic by beating Wrexham, before losing 2-0 at home to Barrow in midweek action.
Saturday’s hosts have enjoyed a good run in the league winning three of their last five, although there is little to separate the two sides, sitting 9th and 10th respectively, both on 27 points.
The match will likely come too soon for Daggers star Angelo Balanta who is still recovering from a groin injury picked up in the Wrexham victory, while Solihull’s new acquisition Gael Bigirimana could make his National League debut.
Daggers XI vs Barrow: Justham (C), Wright, Onariase, Wood (Quigley 31’), Croll, Brundle, Robinson, Dobson (Grant 54’), Luque, Graham, Kandi
Unused Subs: Gordon, McQueen, Eleftheriou
Solihull Moors XI vs Rangers U21: Boot (GK), Williams, Carter ©, McCallum, Hancox, Hawkridge, Blissett (Beesley 54), Neufville, Howe, Ball (Bigirimana 56), Yussuf (Reckod 83).
Subs not used: Wright, Rowley (GK).
The Manager
Having replaced Mark Yates in the summer of 2018, Tim Flowers enjoyed a stunning debut season in charge of The Moors, leading the club to a second-place finish just three points adrift of champions Leyton Orient.
Promotion, however, evaded Yates and his side despite the strong season, falling to Fylde at the playoff semi-final stage.
Flowers’ first forays into management saw the former England international lead the Stafford Rangers for nine games before a pair of brief spells as caretaker-manager at Northampton Town prior to getting the full-time position at Solihull.
Ones to Watch
Gael Bigirimana:
The Coventry youth product only signed for The Moors this week, but the Burundi international comes with an imposing pedigree. A move to Newcastle followed his time at Coventry, while the 26-year old has also plied his trade for Motherwell and Hibs.
A member of Peter Taylor’s 2013 England U20 World Cup squad, Bigirimana switched allegiances to the country of his birth and helped Burundi reach their first-ever major tournament with qualification to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Adi Yussuf:
Now on the books at Blackpool, Yussuf is back at the Damson Stadium on loan for his second spell with The Moors. A memorable foe for Dagenham, the Tanzanian scored twice in two minutes on his first debut for the club at the Chigwell Construction Stadium in January 2018.
Yussuf led The Moors with 21 goals last season and will be looking to reignite his career under Flowers after falling down the pecking order at Bloomfield Road.
Kyle Storer:
The experienced midfielder joined Solihull in January 2018 and has been a mainstay in the side ever since, now captaining the club.
Storer rose through the Leicester City youth ranks before making his name at a number of non-league sides including Bedworth Town and Nuneaton. Following a spell at Wrexham, the 31-year old joined Cheltenham and played a starring role as The Robins won the 2015/2016 National League title.
Jamey Osborne:
A Solihull native, Osborne has taken up the creative mantle within The Moors’ side causing National League defences ample trouble with his incisive passing from midfield.
Beginning his career at Hednesford Town, Osborne initially returned to his hometown team in 2016 before departing again for Grimsby Town. Now back in Solihull, Osborne was a crucial member of Flowers’ promotion-chasing team last season and will be looking to guide the club one step further this campaign.
