Leyton Orient midfielder Craig Clay insists his side need to take the positives from their recent results as they host Macclesfield Town tomorrow afternoon. Speaking to leytonorient.com “we know we need points in the league, we know we have been close but we are three games unbeaten and hopefully we can take it into Saturday”

The O’s picked up their first win in nine games with a 1-0 win over Dagenham & Redbridge in Tuesday FA Cup fourth round qualifying replay. MacAuley Bonne struck Orient’s winner seeing Orient pick up their first victory since September 2nd. 

• Home record – P7  W3  D1  L3  F12  A10  (League)
• One win in their last four games – 1-0 vs Dagenham, lost the other three
• No home league win since 02/09/17 – 4-1 vs Guiseley
• Only Sutton and Fylde (12)  have conceded more goals at home

Head coach Steve Davis was delighted that his side finally picked up a much needed win, speaking to leytonorient.com “I enjoyed it, it was a bit hairy at the end with a few longer balls into the box and we had to defend a lot of crosses, we stood up to it with a very young back five. It was a great effort to keep it to nil, two clean sheets and we are delighted with it” 

• Kept just two clean sheets in their 15 league games 
• Kept back to back clean sheets for the first time since April/ May 2016
• Have not kept a clean sheet in the league since 28/08/17 vs Maidenhead – nine games
• Tuesday’s clean sheet was their first since 12/08/17 vs Maidstone

Back to back clean sheets has coincided with Orient’s change of shape to a 3-5-2 system and Davies praised his sides ability to adapt. Speaking to east London advertiser “you’ve always really got to build the base from not conceding because I always feel we’ll create chances. They seem to have adapted very well to the change of system and have got different players to play in all positions”.

• Unbeaten when starting with a back three – D2  L1
• Only conceded two goals in three games with back three

Bonne netted his first goal in nine games on Tuesday and admitted to Leytonorient.com “I’m buzzing, it has been a few games since I scored but the feeling is back now”. Bonne has struggled in front of goal but was confident of his sides chances before the game “the confidence was very high and we carried a lot from how we were against Dagenham. I knew personally we would come away with a win”.

• Orient have failed to score in four of their 17 games this season
• Scored in their last five league games
• Only failed to score in one of their last seven games in all competitions 

Since the change to the 3-5-2 system, Bonne and David Mooney’s have been linking up really well with the former Colchester man enjoying the partnership. Speaking to east London advertiser “it makes us stay closer together and helps us both out a lot. When we are close the partnership can start and we can link up. The longer the partnership remains and gets stronger, the more goals we’ll score together”.

• 16/26 league goals conceded have been in the first half – most in National League
• Conceded five in the opening 15 minutes of games – most in league 
• Conceded seven between 31-45 minutes – only Guiseley (9) have conceded more

Bonne has started every game this season and highlighted that the win should help to build their season. “When the final whistle went there was a big sigh of relief because we won again. We now have to move to Saturday where we’ll try and get another victory and put in another good performance”. He added “it can kick start the season, you saw the reaction from the players after and how much we want it”.

• 12/21 league goals scored have been in the second half 
• 50% have been in the final 15 minutes of matches
• 1/3 of Orient’s home league goals have been in this period

Tomorrow’s clash will continue Orient heavy run of fixtures with Clay keen for his side to continue with where they left on Tuesday, “getting that win gave us that feel good factor. We have three big games coming up, Macclesfield, Gateshead and Wrexham. Three games to showcase what we can do”

Leyton Orient next three fixtures

Davies remembered playing Macclesfield back when they were a league side, “they were always hard to beat, a lot of players came in this season. They have a good group with experienced players especially at the back. They have had a good start, crept up the table and have found themselves as the team up the top”. Despite their position Davies is “looking forward to the game, it is nice to go in on the back of a few good results”.

Clay is aware of Macclesfield threat but is hoping that his side can build on their win on Tuesday night. Speaking to Leytonorient.com “they are top of the league at the moment, we know it is going to be tough. I am sure Nick Gearing will have a lot of footage so we know what to expect”.

Macclesfield arrive in E10 top of the National League and full of confidence. The Silkmen progressed to the first round of the FA Cup last weekend with a 5-0 away win at Stourbridge. Goals from Danny Whitehead, Tyrone Marsh, Scott Burgess, Koby Arthur and Elliott Durrell ensured Macclesfield continued their winning run.

• 1st in League on 29 points – one point lead
• League Record – P15  W9  D2  L4  F17  A15
• Form in last six – W5  L1

Manager John Askey praised his sides start at Stourbridge which provided them with a solid platform. Speaking to silkmentv “It started with Danny Whitehead, who with the early goal really gave everyone confidence. Getting early goals is something we have been working really hard and every player has been working hard to it in games” He added “it really came to fruition and that’s really pleasing because it keeps the run going”.

• 9/17 league goals scored have been in the half –
• Five have been in the first 15 minutes of games – joint most in League
• Three of their last five games – they have scored before the 17th minute
• Scored in their last 11 games in all competitions
• Last failed to score – 19/08/17 – Gateshead 3-0 Macclesfield

Askey manager to rest four players last weekend and highlighted that their replacements did no harm, “it can be difficult to come into a winning team because you know we have been winning and puts more pressure on them to keep it going but they responded well. It is competition for places we want”.

• Seven of their nine wins this season have been by just one goal
• Four of their five wins away have been by just one goal
• Five of their nine wins have ended 1-0

Defender Keith Lowe has started every game in the league this season after his move from Kidderminster in the summer. The 32 year old has settled in well at Moss Rose and praised the how club, “the lads are working really hard, plugging away and getting our rewards from it”. Continuing with his interview with silkmentv he stated “it is all down to the staff and the leads, we need to keep riding the wave and pushing other teams as far as we can and see where we end up”.  

• Kept eight clean sheets in the league – joint most with Wrexham
• Have kept to back to back clean sheets and kept four in their last five games
• Kept three in their last four away games – only goal conceded, 03/10/17 1-2 vs Guiseley
• Not kept three clean sheets in a row since September/ October 2015

Macclesfield are on their best winning run since they won five games in a row in January 2015 and Scott Burgess acknowledges that his side have to keep doing the right things. Speaking to Silkmentv “we are on a good run at the moment, we have to keep doing what we are doing, we have been playing well and scoring more goals. We need to keep the confidence and we have a really good chance to see where this season takes us”.

• Last lost 16/09/17 – 4-1 at home to Maidstone
• Won seven of their last eight games
• Macclesfield last won six games in a row – January and February 2005

Midfielder Elliott Durrell also made the move to the Silkmen in the summer and highlights what a good atmosphere there is around the club. Speaking to silkmentv “there is a buzz around the place, long may it continue, we know nothing is won or lost in the early matches, it is good to be in the position we are in”

• Away Record – P7  W5  D0  L2  F8  A6 (League)
• Only Dover (19) have taken more point on their travels in the National League
• Have won their last five away games in all competitions
• Three of their five away wins have ended 1-0
• Last lost 3-0 at Gateshead, 19/08/17

Askey’s side will be fresher than Orient as they had no midweek game and is hoping to catch them on another off day, “we don’t want out run to stop, hopefully we go to Orient and perform well, getting three points. They have got some decent players and a big squad but are underperforming at the moment. We just hope we meet them on another day they are underperforming”. Silkmentv

• Led for 585 minutes in the league (343 away) the most in the National League
• Have only trailed in one of their last eight games
• Have not trailed in a game since August
• Only Wrexham (13) and Halifax (16) have scored less goals in the top half

Following Orient, Macclessfield travel to Dagenham on Tuesday with Durrell admitting just how tough the National League can be, “there is never an easy game in this league, it is unforgiving” He added “there isn’t a better period to have them, we have won five on the bounce and want them to keep coming. We have two tough games, we need to prepare right and go in full of confidence”.

Macclesfield’s next three fixtures

Team News

Charlie Lee, George Elokobi, Josh Coulson and Matt Harrold all remain side-lined through injury. James Brophy and Mark Ellis are available after being ineligible in the FA Cup games against Dagenham. Jobi McAnuff is expected to have recovered from a groin injury while Alex Lawless returns after serving a one match suspension after picking up five cautions.

Koby Arthur, Tyrone Marsh, Scott Burgess and Kieran Kennedy all started in Macclesfield 5-0 win at Stourbridge last weekend and will be hoping to keep their places. Askey stated to silkmentv “it looks like everyone is fit, only issue we may have is Kieran Kennedy who had a bad blow last weekend. He has been training with us ahead of Orient and we are hopeful it won’t affect him”.

Head to Head – Orient 6, Draw 3, Macclesfield 7

Last Meeting – 26/11/2005 – Macclesfield 0-0 Orient

• Orient have only won two of the last six meetings – W2  D1 L3
• Orient have won five of the last six meetings at Brisbane Road (scoring at least two on every occasion
• Brisbane Road record – Orient 5, Draw 2, Macclesfield 1
• Macclesfield only win at Brisbane Road came 07/08/2004
• Out of the 13 wins in this fixture, 11 have been by the home team

Prediction – Leyton Orient 2-2 Macclesfield