Leyton Orient midfielder Sammy Moore insists he is more than up for the challenge of keeping his side in League Two. Moore returned to the O’s this week after a six month loan spell with Dover Athletic and is keen to hit the ground running at Portsmouth tomorrow afternoon.

• Sit 21st on 25 points
• League Record  – P25 W7 D4 L14  F27  A37
• Away Record – P11  W4  D3  L4  F15  A17
• Last away results – LLLWLLW
• Form in last eight league games – W2  D1 L5  F7  A15
• Form all competitions (most recent first) – LLDWLWLLLW

Moore goes straight into the squad ahead of the trip to fourth placed Pompey and insists that he is delighted to be back. Speaking to leytonorient.com “it is brilliant to be back, I had a good loan spell at Dover but now the time is right to come back and hit the ground running to try and pick up some wins”. Despite the position Orient find themselves in, Moore is looking to brighten the mood around Brisbane Road “there is some good talent here, we just have to find a way of winning. I have come back to bring some life to the place and give some confidence and belief to the team”.

• Have kept just four clean sheets in 25 league games
• Only Notts C (2) and Cheltenham (3) have kept less in League Two
• Without a clean sheet in last five games
• Only kept one clean sheet in their last nine – (1-0 vs Accrington, 10/12/16)
• Without a clean sheet in last three away games – keeping just two in 11 away league matches this season

Moore left Orient in August when they sitting comfortably in the table however results have left Orient just four points above the relegation zone. But Moore knows that despite their position, “it’s football we have to get on with it. There are lots of games left to pick up points, we have a good nucleus here. The main thing was to add some competition in there. I am hungry to do well and want to do well just like the fans and that starts Saturday”.

• Orient have taken just 18 points from 60 available since the end of August
• Failed to score in nine of 25 League games – only Exeter (10) have failed to score in more
• Failed to score in two of last five matches – both away from home
• Failed to score in four of their last six away games in all competitions
• Only scored two or more goals in a game in one of their last nine games
• Both teams have scored in 13 of their 25 league games, seven of their 11 away games and three of their last four games
• Record against top half teams – P14  W2  D3  L9
• Away record – P7  W2  D2  L3

Orient fell to their second successive defeat against Barnet last weekend and manager Andy Edwards knows that the challenge of Portsmouth is a big one. Edwards was disappointed with the manner of the goals conceded against Barnet and insisted that the first goal was a big blow. Speaking to leytonorient.com on Friday “the goal on the hour mark was tough and we didn’t give ourselves a chance as we conceded the second so quickly”

• Have scored 17 of their 27 goals in the second half of games
• Their last two goals and three of their last six have been scored in the second period
• Ten of their 15 away goals scored have been in the second half
• Only one of their last nine away goals has been scored in the first half
• Have conceded 26 of their 37 goals in the second half – including 12 of their last 14
• No team has conceded less first half way goals than Orient (3)
• Orient have trailed for 157 minutes in their last three games

Orient won at Fratton Park last season and Moore is hoping his side and recreate a similar performance tomorrow, “it doesn’t come much tougher , they will be a strong test. We went there last year and won 1-0. It was a great team performance, we need to replicate that on Saturday. We need points quickly as we are in a dog fight and I am ready to roll my sleeves up and give 100%”

• Record scoring first – W6  D2  L1    Away W3  D2  L1
• Only lost one of their last 19 league games scoring first – W16 D2  L1
• Defeat came at Doncaster, 3-1, 26/11/16
• Have only lost one of their last 14 away league matches – W8  D5  L1

Edwards is hoping that his players can step up to the occasion “it is a real tough one for us, it is a good game for the players with the size of stadium and the amount of fans. They are flying high again, but it is a game we look forward to. They have some exceptional players and a squad full of depth but we will give everything we have got”.

• Record conceding first – W1  D1  L13   Away  W1  L3
• Have lost six of their last seven games conceding first
• Their only win was a 3-1 win at Hartlepool, 22/10/16
• Have won just one of their last 26 league games – W1  D3  L22
• The win at Hartlepool was their only win in their last 19 away league matches              – W1  D6  L2

Porstmouth head into tomorrow’s clash with Orient on the back of a 3-1 away defeat to promotion rivals Doncaster Rovers. It was Pompey’s first defeat in six as they look to bridge the gap between themselves and the top three. Paul Cook’s men sit just four points behind third placed Carlisle as they look to force their way into the automatic places.

• Sit 4th on 42 points
• League Record – P25  W12  D6  L7  F38  A25
• Home Record – P11  W6  D2  L3  F23  A10
• Last home results – WDLWWLLDL
• Form in last eight league games – W4  D2  L2  F10  A8
• Form in all competitions (most recent result first) – LWDWDWLWDWWL

Cook was very disappointed with the start his side made at the Keepmoat in their last outing. Speaking to portsmouthfc.co.uk “the first ten minutes we never started the game, for a big game against the league leaders live on sky, we didn’t show the game any respect. You couldn’t make it up we lacked aggression in our game”.

• Only Wycombe (8) have conceded less goals at home than Portsmouth
• Have kept 11 clean sheets in 25 games- the most in League Two
• Only Yeovil (7) have kept more clean sheets at home than Portsmouth (5)
• Have kept four clean sheets in their last six games
• Have kept four clean sheets in their last five home games in all competitions 

However despite falling behind, Kai Naismith leveled for Pompey who were more than a match for Rovers, “after the first 10 minutes and the goal, I thought we were excellent and took control of the game. We dominated a very good side right up until half time. But to lose 3-1 to say we are not happy is a under statement”. He added “we have the ability to self destruct if we give the ball away as cheaply as we do. We are about being positive and aggressive but some of the passes and decision making from the lads was poor” stated Cook

• Have failed to score in five of the 25 league games – only one at home
• Have failed to score in 2 of their last five games 
• Only scored two or more in one of their last seven games – 3-2 away at Newport
• Both teams have scored in 12 of their 25 games, six of their 11 home games and just two of their last six games

With just under half a season remaining Cook knows his side need to continue in their beliefs and keep going with plenty of points left on offer. The main concern for Cook was “concentrating on ourselves, when you want success you have to go and get it. If you come off the pitch waiting for someone to lose you are not in a good place”. Continuing in his interview with portsmouthfc.co.uk “We have got to grasp it with games, we have 12 at Fratton and nine away, the league table doesn’t show it today but in my opinion we have it in our own hands”.

• Have scored 20 of their 38 in the second half
• Have netted 15 goals (8 at home) in the last 15 minutes of games- the most in League Two
• Portsmouth would sit 11th if games ended on 75 minutes – they have gained 10 points in the final 15 minutes of games
• 16 of their 23 home goals have been scored in the final 15 minutes of both halves (27/38 total)
• Only 11 of their 38 goals have been scored by strikers, 22 have come from midfielders

Midfielder  Carl Baker understands that tomorrow’s game is one that his side are expected to win against a side struggling at the bottom of the table. Speaking to portsmouthfc.co.uk earlier today “if we want to get promoted automatically this season then these are the fixtures you have to take all three points from”.

• Record against current bottom half teams – P12  W4  D4  L4
• Home record – P5 W2  D1  L2

Baker started against Orient earlier in the season and acknowledges that they will offer a test tomorrow, “they gave us a really good test at their place and you can tell they have a good side when you look at the players they’ve got”. But Baker expects Orient to adopt similar tactics to most teams visiting Fratton Park this season, “I’m sure they will look to sit behind the ball and make life difficult for us. It important we stay patient and keep believing we can get the opening goal because it forces them to come out”.

• Record scoring first – W8    home W4
• Have kept a clean sheet in their last 10 games scoring the first goal
• Have only lost one of their last 21 league games – W18  D2  L1 (Plymouth 2-1, 16/04/16) – keeping 15 clean sheets
• Only lost one of their last 21 home league games – W17  D3 L1

Cook has urged his players to “stand up and see what we can do for the fans” acknowledging the great support in recent weeks. But Cook is not under estimating Orient tomorrow, “the games are tough for everyone, if you don’t respect your opposition at any level of football then you will get beat. Orient have some fantastic players, they have had a lot of disruptions in their season”. Important for Cook is “to concentrate on each fixture as it comes along. We will pick teams to wins games and if we can do that on Saturday in a tough game then we will be in a healthier position”.

• Record conceding first – W4  D3  L7          home W2 D1 L3
• Have conceded first 14 times this season – 11 times in the opening 30 minutes of matches
• Have lost their last three home matches
• But no team in League Two has taken more points (15) after conceding the first goal in a match

Team News

Leyton Orient will be without  Liam Kelly, Robbie Weir and Sam Dalby who all remain sideline through injury. Midfielder Sandro Semedo returns to the squad after missing the last two matches while fellow midfielder Sammy Moore is available after returning from his loan spell.

Curtis Main is the only absentee for Portsmouth with Paul Cook stating to portsmouthfc.co.uk “we will let the team do the talking, by Saturday the fans should be happy with the team they see on the pitch”.

Head to Head- Leyton Orient 13     Draw    13       Portsmouth 16

Last meeting – 08/10/16 – Leyton Orient 0-1 Portsmouth

• Orient have won six of the last seven meetings
• It was Portsmouth first victory since 1996
• Orient have won on their last three trips to Fratton Park, most recently 1-0 February 2016
• Four of the last seven meetings have ended 1-0
• Six of the last seven wins have been just by a one goal margi
• Orient last lost at Fratton Park in 1976, a 2-1 loss
• Three of the last six have seen both teams score
• Porsmouth last beat Orient at home 20/08/1996, 2-0 win in League Cup

Prediction – Portsmouth 3-0 Leyton Orient