Leyton Orient midfielder Liam Kelly insists his side have to be taking their chances if they want to be winning games. Kelly’s O’s side lost 1-0 at home to Newport on Saturday, a result which sees Orient still looking for their first league victory this season.

Orient host Stevenage tomorrow night with Kelly hoping his side learn from the mistakes they made on Saturday. Speaking to leytonorient.com after the Newport defeat “the result wasn’t what we wanted, I thought we got off to a poor start. The first half was the same story as Fulham, we didn’t use our heads”.

O’s started with Paul McCallum and Ollie Palmer in attack however this proved to be a problem according to Kelly, “we were playing too direct which didn’t suit us. The more we got into that trap, the harder we made it for ourselves. The second half we got the ball down and looked more dangerous, with the balls put in the box we really should have been scoring at least one or two goals”.

Kelly had chances of his own to pull Orient level against Newport but could not take them, something which he knows his side have to improve in “we have got to be clinical, if you want to do well we need to be clinical. We didn’t juts have 1/2 chances we had really good chances, even myself. We have to be taking chances if you want to be winning games”.

Andy Hessenthaler echoed Kelly’s thoughts post match to leytonorient.com “we didn’t get it right in the first half, we didn’t play with enough tempo or enough ideas in our game. We became one dimensional, two big lads up top, we got it up there too quickly. The first 10 minutes we got the ball down the sides but we stopped doing that for some reason”.

Worryingly for the O’s, for the third time in a week they conceded a goal from a set piece which against Newport provided the difference. “It comes down to a set play, it cost us the game, somebody not doing their job on the back post and they scored. It just shows the importance of set plays for and against, we switched off and got punished”, stated Hessenthaler.

One point from a possible six is in stark contrast to last seasons perfect five wins from five at the start of the season but Hessenthaler is not too worried with his sides form just yet, “last season we won our first five and didn’t achieve our goal, we are not going to get carried away with two games but we have put ourselves under pressure because we need to bounce back on Tuesday”.

Hessenthaler revealed that he picked the wrong team because his side failed to win, “we have got a good squad, everybody is under pressure here”. With a game so close after a defeat the Orient boss is “pleased, we have to put this one out the way and behind us. We have to get the boys ready to get the result on Tuesday”.

Stevenage arrive in E10 on the back of 1-1 draw away to Notts County on Saturday. Manager Darren Sarll was disappointed with the manner of how his side conceded the equaliser at Meadow Lane. Speaking to stevenagefc.com post match, “the goal we’ve conceded is the disappointing aspect of today, I am fuming with how we defended the long ball into Stead, we should have done better”.

Sarll’s side beat Ipswich away in the EFL cup last midweek and insists his side should be respected in the league, “people have got to understand we are a good side, a good football side, people who try hard every day. The consistency of their characters is so strong and solid but what we have to be better at is being the best side away from home. We have to keep punching, if a team is there for the taking we have to punish them”.

Despite conceded in both league games so far, Sarll stated “defensively we are decent, people look solid and haven’t got a soft under belly. We are strong, organised and people know their roles and responsibilities. What we have to improve in is to handle that we’re a good side and look at doing the same every week”.

Midfielder Jobi McAnuff was disappointed that his side didn’t carry on the good football they played in the opening minutes at Meadow Lane. Similarly to Sarll, McAnuff knows his side have to be more ruthless in their play, speaking to stevenagefc.com “we didn’t carry on, we really should have killed the game off, when on top is something you need to do whatever level you are playing at. The game was there for us”.

McAnuff travels to his old side Leyton Orient who he left in the summer after two years at Brisbane Road. The Jamaican International knows that it is an enjoyable experience going back to an old club “even more when you win, it is a difficult place for them. I know if we go there, start well and get the first goal, it could be a long night for them. It is something we’re be trying to do”.

• Orient have lost seven of their last eight games conceded first
• Orient have only one win in their last 13 conceded first at home (6 from a possible 39 available)
• Orient’s last two seasons record at home when conceding first –                                         P24   W2  D4   L18  – 10 points from a possible 72
• Total record of last two seasons when Orient have conceded first –                                        P46   W4  D11  L31         23 points from a possible 138

With McAnuff only leaving Orient in the summer, he is more than willing to give Sarll any inside information on Orient if it helps them win tomorrow night. A key for McAnuff moving forward is the ability to keep clean sheets. “We need to get back to keeping clean sheets like the other night (Ipswich), it is no secret that when you keep clean sheets the wins will start coming. We are always likely to score, maybe we have to increase how many we’re scoring to take a bit of pressure of the boys at the back”.

Team News

Nigel Atangana and Harry Cornick will both be pushing for recalls after impressing from the bench on Saturday. Callum Kennedy could return at left back while Jordan Bowery will be pushing for a start after recovering from a knock to his knee.

Dean Wells is unavailable after picking up a hamstring injury in Stevenage 1-0 win at Ipswich last week while Steven Schumacher remains out with ligament damage. Winger Connor Hunte could be included after signing on loan from Wolves till January earlier today.

Head to Head – Leyton Orient 5, Draw 2, Stevenage 3

Last meeting – 02/01/2015 – Stevenage 2-2 Leyton Orient

• The last meeting was the first league meeting in eight where both teams scored
• Orient have beaten Stevenage to nil in every win
• The last two home games for Orient have ended 3-0 (2015) and 2-0 (2014)
• Orient are unbeaten in the last five league games between the sides (W4, D1)

Prediction – Leyton Orient 1-1 Stevenage