Leyton Orient manager Ian Hendon insists his side are fully focused ahead of a potential FA Cup shock tomorrow as they host Staines Town. Orient lost 1-0 at home to Accrington Stanley last weekend with Hendon slamming his sides performance stating to leytonorient.com “Disappointed is the biggest understatement, that is just not acceptable“. 

Speaking earlier today Hendon highlighted “that the key when you come off the back of a bad performance is the next game and this game cannot come quick enough for us”. Orient have been stuttering after a fine start to the season, picking up just 11 points from the last 11 games but Hendon knows that tomorrow “is a break from the league and our sole focus is to make sure that we come out on top and are in the draw for the second round”.

• Last 11 games: 2 Wins, 5 Draws, 4 Defeats
• Form (Last 6 games): LWDDLW
• Only won 1 of last 5 games at home – 5 points from last 15 available
• Last weekend was only the second time Orient failed to score in 18 matches in all competitions this season
• Only kept 1 clean sheet in last 12 matches
• Conceded 1st in 8 out of the last 11 matches – picking up just 5 points from those 8 games
• Won 7 out of 8 matches they have scored first
• Only failed to reach round 2 in 1 of last 5 seasons (2014/2015)
• Reached the 3rd round in 3 out of the last 5 seasons – longest recent run came in 2011 when Orient reached Round 5

O’s defender Sean Clohessy understands that Orient have been up and down in recent weeks but sees the FA Cup as a distraction to get Orient back  to winning ways. Speaking to leytonorient.com he stated “we have been stuttering of late, we have been playing well in most games, just haven’t really got the results. We need to start putting things together as we can’t keep saying playing well but not getting the results. It gives us an opportunity to get a win under our belt”. 

Clohessy played an early part of his career in the non league and appreciates the work Staines completed in order to reach the 1st Round, “they have done well to get here, it will be a big occasion for them, I have been down in non-league and when you come up against league teams, it is a massive occasion, they are going to be raring to got”. Despite there being 80 league places between the sides, Orient’s right back knows that his  side must make sure “we are professional, get an early goal to settle ourselves and the game down, once that happens we can control the game”.

Staines Town are managed by former Brighton Striker Nicky Forster and also have former O’s defender Darren Purse in their ranks. Ian Hendon is relishing facing Forster once more, “Nicky and Darren are experienced people to have in their set up, Nicky enjoyed an illustrious career and was a good lad to play against so we are looking forward to locking horns once more” Leytonorient.com

With the FA Cup most known for non league teams shocking professional outfits, Hendon warned his side of the test that awaits them tomorrow “It will be their Cup Final and anyone coming to our stadium on our pitch will get inspired to play there. We have watched them and it is going to be difficult like everybody is” leytonorient.com

Staines Town lie 18th in the Ryman Premier Division, reaching the first round after beating Gloucester City 2-1 in the final qualifying round thanks to 2 goals from Pat Cox. It is only the sixth time in their history that they have reached the First Round proper stage. Manager Nicky Forster spoke to BBC London earlier this week stating “I still think it is a special day, I still think that pitting non-league sides against professional teams is great, I used to love as a pro playing against non-league sides”

Forster enjoyed a fruitful career and played at Brisbane Road on many occasions, more times than not on the winning side, “I like the place, I have been there as a player and enjoyed it. I have been successful there, scored there and won there. It feels like a nice place to play, nice ground and playing surface which will give us an opportunity to try and play; hopefully giving a good account of ourselves”.

• Picked up 22 points  from 15 league matches – winning 6
• Away League record – W4, D3, L3
• Collected 68% of points away from home – 15 of their 22
• Lost 3 out of their last 4 games – last win came against Gloucester City 2-1
• Pat Cox is top scorer with 19 in all competitions – 9 in the league – including 3 in his last 3 matches

Orient have won their last 5 games against non league opposition but Forster stated that “It is the FA Cup, little ounce of hope we have got, our boys are no fools, they are good players in their own right and have worked tremendously hard to get here and they deserve to be here”. Forster added “They really should be fitter, stronger, techincally better and better drilled but we have told them to enjoy it, if we play to the best of our ability we will give them a good game” BBC London

Team News

Orient be without Bradley Pritchard who is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season last weekend. Connor Essam is missing after picking up a foot injury in the defeat to Accrington and is set to be missing for 6-8 weeks. Paul McCallum is the only other absentee for Orient as Jack Payne and John Marquis available after being given permission to play by their parent clubs. Harry Lee is also available after being recalled from his loan spell at Welling.

Darren Purse is set to face his former sides while Joe O’Cearuill is a major doubt with a leg injury but Mitchal Gough and Ashley Lodge are both fit. Prince M’Bengui misssing out through suspension.

Prediction

Leyton Orient 3-1 Staines Town

Nicky Forster side will provide a scare for Orient in the early stages but I think (hoping) that Orient have enough to progress to round 2.