Leyton Orient keeper Charlie Grainger insists his side must play go in and try and play their own game when they head to table toppers Aldershot tomorrow. Grainger who has played every minute this season stated to leytonorient.com “I am not expecting anything special tomorrow, we know every game will be tough, we have learnt that. I don’t think anyone here fears going into any game“.

• Sit 13th on 16 points
• League Record – P11  W5  D1  L5  F15  A18
• Only five points separates 15th place and first

The O’s travel to the Shots on the back of three consecutive defeats, their most recent a 2-1 home defeat to Hartlepool last weekend. Jobi McAnuff slotted Orient ahead before they conceded goals just before and just after half time. Head Coach Steve Davis praised the first 40 minutes of the match but stated to east London advertiser “we can say we were a bit unlucky but we didn’t defend two set pieces well enough and that was the difference”.

• Form in last six – W2  D1  L3  F7  A9
• Away Record – P5  W2  D0  L3  F4  A10
• Orient have won two of last three away games
• Macauley Bonne has scored all four of Orient’s away goals

After conceding just before the break, Davis revealed the side spoke about keeping it tight at the start of the second half but a minute in they conceded a second. Speaking to leytonorient.com “the second half we wanted a good start not letting them having any opportunities but we didn’t and switched off. We lost concentration and focus in a really important period”.

• Conceded 10 of their 18 goals in the first half
• Conceded 33% of their goals between minutes 31-45 – the most in the National League
• 50% of Orient’s goals conceded have been between minutes 31-60

Defender Jake Caprice acknowledges that his side do need to be more ruthless in front of goal, speaking to east London advertiser “if we are not going to take chances and defend from set pieces then we will get punished. When you are on top you need to punish teams and if you get two or three chance you have to put at least one away”.

• Failed to score in three games this season (two away)
• Only scored two or more goals in four of their last 20 away games

The O’s have struggled from set pieces this season and Caprice was quick acknowledge that “the boys who have come in are more than capable of keeping clean sheets. It does unsettle you when the back four changes but that has been down to injury”. However, he admitted that the lack of clean sheets recently has been a disappointment “first and foremost I am a defender and it is a shame we haven’t kept more clean sheets, there is a lot for me and the team to work on”.

• Only kept three clean sheets this season
• No clean sheet in last four games
• Kept one clean sheet in last six games (Maidenhead, 1-0, 28/08/17)
• Two clean sheets in last three away games

Davis acknowledged that the majority of the goals Orient concede have been from set pieces and knows his side must defend better. Speaking to leytonorient.com “We need to be strong and better. I think teams have relied on set pieces to score goals and we have let it happen too easily” He added “It is an area we now we need to be stronger, if you have got someone who can deliver with quality you have to deal with it”.

• 44% of Orient’s goals conceded have come from Set pieces – 8/18 – including three penalties
• Four of Orient’s last five goals conceded have come from set pieces
• 38% of Orient’s goals conceded have come from crosses into the box

Caprice who lost 4-0 on his last visit to the EBB Stadium with Woking last season highlighted the strengths of the Shots, “they are a footballing side like ourselves, they will try and pass it and play so it will be interesting to see how they play”. Furthermore he highlighted “it won’t be like some of the matches we have played this season where teams like to hit it long and play off the second balls”. East London Advertiser

• Only the bottom five clubs have conceded more goals than Leyton Orient (18)
• Only four sides have conceded more away from home than Orient
• Orient have conceded two or more goals in 11 of their last 14 away games

Despite losing three games on the bounce, the 24 year old is confident on tomorrow’s outcome “we will go into it with optimism and confident we can get something from the game. I feel we are more than equipped to deal with the threat they pose and hopefully we can impose ourselves on the game and play our football”.

• Orient last lost four league games in a row back in March/April 2017

After a dip in form, Steve Davis understands that tomorrow’s came at the EBB Stadium will be tough, “they are a good team, they play football. The full backs play high and we have looked at what they do. They are a very attack minded team and we know what is coming”. Leytonorient.com

• In Orient’s last 12 away defeats, they have conceded at least twice
• Last time Orient lost away and conceded less than two – 1-0 Wycombe,  17/12/16

Aldershot host Orient tomorrow as they sit joint top of the National League with Dover Athletic. Back to back away wins has put the Shots back in top spot and Gary Waddock will be hoping his side can stay there. Their 1-0 away win at Gateshead came courtesy of a second half Fabien Robert strike seven minutes from time.

• Sit on 20 points 
• League Record – P11 W6  D2  L3  F18  A9

The Shots who suffered defeat in the play offs last season will be looking to go one better this season. Manager Gary Waddock missed the winner at Gateshead but stated to shots.co.uk “it is a very good victory and a clean sheet. Three points up here is a valuable three points for us because it is always a tough place to come and they are a good side”.

• Form in last six – W3  D1  L2  F5  A4
• Won three of their last four games
• Last defeat – 9/9/17 – 0-2 vs Dover Athletic

After the victory, Waddock admitted that his side had to make changes in order to stay in the game, “I always feel we can win, they came strong in the second half and we had to stay in the game”. Before the win, Gateshead were unbeaten at home but Waddock thought “we had spells of good possession for the away side. They were always a threat so we had to make sure we were secure at the back and middle”.

• Only Woking (250) and Dagenham (317) have led for more minutes at home than Aldershot (210)
• Last failed to score in back to back home league games February and March 2016 (0-0 vs Tranmere, 0-0 vs Torquay)

With back to back away wins, Waddock was very pleased to return home with maximum points “Ebbsfleet was a tough place to go and to win their was pleasing. It was probably wasn’t the best performance of the season but sometimes you have to grind out and be scrappy and we done that today”.

• Only failed to score in two games this season – one at home
• Scored in 14 of their last 17 home games 
• Last 0-0 at EBB Stadium – 4/3/17 vs Lincoln

The Shots lost their last home match and assistant manager James Rowe pulled no punches to where his side need to improve. Speaking shots.co.uk “we need to improve our home form, we are not disguising that and have to be realistic. The way the team reacted after the Dover game was outstanding and we hope to maintain the standards on Saturday”.

• Home Record – P5  W3  D0  L2  F11  A6
• Lost two of their last three home games – 1-2 vs Chester, 0-2 vs Dover
• Had the third best home record in National League last season – Only Lincoln and Tranmere took more points
• Only lost two of their last 17 home league games – W11 D4  L2 

With both sides looking to play expansive football, Rowe and Aldershot are really looking forward to tomorrow’s clash, “they try and play the right way, it should make for a great game as both teams look to play and open and attacking game. We are very much looking forward to Orient on Saturday, it should be a good atmosphere”.

• Not lost back to back home game since November 2016 (1-2 vs Macclesfield, 0-1 Eastleigh)
• Seven of their 11 home goals have come in first half
• Four between 31-45 minutes
• 44% of their goals scored have come between 31-45 minutes

Rowe highlighted that the players and management team are aware of what they will be facing tomorrow, “there is a great heritage in the club, we know what is coming and we will be fully prepared to give it our all as usual”. However Rowe is quick to acknowledge that “we have got to remember it is only one game and we must not get carried away”.

• Kept the joint most clean sheets with Halifax and Wrexham (6)
• Kept four clean sheets in their last five games
• Kept ten clean sheets in their last 17 home games
• Only Wrexham (6), Dover (7) and Tranmere (8) conceded less than Aldershot this season (9)

Team News

Leyton Orient welcome back winger James Dayton who has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. Midfielder Craig Clay has overcome his hamstring injury which forced him off last weekend against Hartlepool. Striker David Mooney is rated 50/50 due to a shoulder injury however Josh Coulson is expected to return to the squad tomorrow. Orient will still be without George Elokobi, Matt Harrold and Charlie Lee. New loan signing James Brophy will be available after his three month loan from Swindon on Thursday.

Aldershot will be hoping that Shaun Okojie and Manny Oyeleke continue their return to fitness after both played in their 2-1 Hampshire Cup defeat to Eastleigh on Tuesday. Fabien Robert is pushing for a recall after netting on his last performances. The Shots will be without Nick Arnold, Will Evans, Will de Havilland, Bernard Mensah, Bobby Joe Taylor and Shamir Fenlon who all remain side lined with injury.

Prediction – Aldershot 2-1 Leyton Orient