Leyton Orient defender Josh Coulson is hoping that the Brisbane Road crowd can push the O’s to another victory tomorrow. The on loan Cambridge defender has been an ever present in Orient’s opening five fixtures and is looking for a third consecutive home win against Eastleigh.

• August 2015 – the last time Orient won three consecutive home games
• 2015/2016 – the last time Orient won their first three home fixtures of the season

Coulson who joined Orient from Cambridge on a six month loan deal in the summer is really enjoying life in E10. Speaking to leytonorient.com he stated “to get games has been really good, to come into this group has really lifted me”. 

The 28 year old was pleased with how his side responded in  their 2-0 victory at Woking last weekend, “the mood has been good, we all knew that we had to bounce back after the midweek game, the boys responded really well. 2-0 a good away performance”.

Orient’s win at Woking was their second clean sheet of this season, which pleased Coulson, “as a back four/five we want to keep clean sheets, I don’t think we had a lot to do in what was a perfect away performance”. Head coach Steve Davis has named the same back five in every game with Coulson linking well with George Elokobi, “he is brilliant, I knew what George had done in the game and I looked forward to playing with him. He is a true leader, helps you out and always has your back”.

• Orient last achieved back to back clean sheets in April 2016 (1-0 vs Mansfield and Yeovil)
• Orient last achieved back to back clean sheets at home in August 2015 (Stevenage 3-0 and Bristol Rovers 2-0)

Striker Macauley Bonne struck both goals at Woking last weekend and is hungry to add to his tally.  The summer signing from Colchester is slowly building a partnership with David Mooney, “we are new together, we linked up for the second goal. We are still learning each other’s games and it is only going to get better” leytonorient.com

• Bonne and Mooney have been involved in four of Orient last five goals
• The last player to score in three consecutive game was Liam Kelly (2016 August and September)
• If Mooney scores tomorrow he will become the first player since Jay Simpson (August and September 2015) to score in three consecutive home games

With Steve Davis reverting back to the same starting 11 which played the opening three games, Bonne was quick to praise the team spirit within the camp, “to come here and win 2-0 put us back on a confidence high both personally and for the team. The team spirit only five games in is incredible, we can only see it getting better”.

After a hectic start to the season, there was no midweek fixture for Davis which he was pleased with. Speaking to leytonorient.com “we gave the lads a couple of days off after Woking, but the planning started on Tuesday. it was nice to have some time on training ground. There hasn’t been a lot of time to do work on the pitch but we had a good session on Tuesday looking at defending and how we want to play”.

• Orient have only lost two of their last 18 home games scoring first – W15  D1  L1
• Last defeat 04/02/17 – 1-2 vs Carlisle

After Eastleigh’s visit tomorrow, Orient face Maidenhead on Monday in a bumper bank holiday weekend for the O’s. Davis is expecting another tough test against the Spitfires, “they are a good side and have spent well. They have brought in some experience and some big physical lads; we will expect that type of game. However they have got some quality in certain areas, despite their mix of results we expect them to be there or there about” leytonorient.com

• Seven of Orient’s eight goals scored have been in the second half including four of their five home goals 

Coulson is set to face ex Cambridge team mate Ben Williamson tomorrow and knows all about the frontman, “I know their striker Williamson from playing with him for the past couple of seasons. He has started off well scoring goals, it is going to be a tough game just like every game in this league”. The former U’s defender is hoping to use support of the home fans at Brisbane Road, “we’re at home and we want to make this a fortress, we’ve played two, won two so far. The fans help to make a great atmosphere, let’s hope we can get another win” leytonorient.com

• Did you know Orient had the worst home record in the top five English Leagues last season – only picking up 13 points

Orient’s points collected at home in last six seasons

Eastleigh travel to Leyton on the back of a 2-0 home victory over promotion chasing Tranmere Rovers last weekend. Ben Williamson struck his fourth goal in his last four games before Craig McAllister confirmed the victory. The Spitfires sit tenth in the table on eight points, just a point behind the O’s.

Eastleigh In’s Summer 2017

• League Record – P5  W2  D2  L1  F6  A4
• Williamson has netted three times against Orient in the past three seasons – including a brace for Cambridge in January 2016 at Brisbane Road

After a disappointing 15th place finish last season, Eastleigh appointed Richard Hill as manager in April after he returned to the club as Director of Football. Hill is in his second spell at Eastleigh after securing their promotion to the National League in 2013/2014 with the 53 year old keen to add another promotion to his CV. Assisting Hill is former Orient manager Andy Hessenhaler who was appointed in the summer.

• Away Record last season – P23  W6  D8  L9  F28  A37
• Eastleigh after without a win in their last five away games, losing four of them
• Last away win came at Torquay, 3-2 win , 21/03/17
• Only won two of 11 away games in 2017 – W2  D3  L6

Hessenhaler was pleased with the reaction of his side against Tranmere, speaking to National League Paper, “after a disappointing week we needed to bounce back with a performance and I thought the boys were excellent. It was a tight affair in the first half and perhaps we didn’t start as well as we should have”.

• Have kept three clean sheets in their five games this season – only one of four teams in the league
• Only Bromley have conceded less goals than Eastleigh
• Eastleigh have only achieved back to back clean sheets twice since October 2016

The Spitfires lost 2-1 Woking in their previous away match with the former Orient manager highlighting the pleasing signs last weekend, “a sign of a good team is one that bounces back and we’ve certainly done that. It’s a new team and they’re coming together now and it’s pleasing”.

• Eastleigh have only won back to back games once since September 2016 (Barrow 2-0, Chester 1-0 and Torquay 3-2) March
• Failed to score in three of their last five away games 

Following the win, Hessenthaler reflected on the first five games of the season to dailyecho.co.uk, “on the whole we’re very happy, we are probably two points short of where we’d like to be because ten points is two a game and that will get you where you want to be at the end of the season”. He added “we’re not going to grumble as the games we have had have been tough”.

• Only Eastleigh and Hartlepool have failed to score in the opening 30 minutes of matches this season

The former Orient manager echoed Steve Davis comments on having a free week to recharge the batteries. With Eastleigh considered as one of the promotion contenders manager Richard Hill knows that despite Orient’s relegation last term, Brisbane Road will not be an easy place to visit, “going to Orient there will be a lot of clubs going to find it a tough place to go”.

• Eastleigh have only won three of their last 12 games against sides relegated from the football league – W3  D3  L6 
• They have only won two of their last 6 away games against sides relegated from football league – W2  D1  L3 (last win vs Tranmere 15/16 2-1)

Team News

Orient first team captain Charlie Lee and keeper Charlie Grainger are both struggling with dead legs. Craig Clay and Sam Sargeant could come in for the pair. With two games in three days, head coach Steve Davis stated to leytonorient.com “we know we can’t play the same team on both days. We have already told some of them that, we will be looking to use the squad, there are players raring to go”.

Former Orient striker Paul McCallum is expecting to be fit to face his former club but Reda Johnson, Graham Stack and Gavin Hoyte are all ruled out through injury.

Prediction –  Leyton Orient 2-1 Eastleigh