Leyton Orient midfielder Zain Westbrooke has urged his side to attack the opposition more ahead of their trip to Ebbsfleet tomorrow. Speaking to leytonorient.com “we have been working a lot on the final third and start getting some goals. We need to start attacking and going into teams”.

• Sit 19th on 19 points – three above the relegation zone
• Form in last six (all comps) – W1  D2  L3  F4  A7
• One win in last 13 in all comps – W1  D4  L8
• Last league win – 4-1 vs Guiseley, 2/9/17

The O’s head to Kent off the back of a 2-1 away defeat to Gillingham in the First round of the FA Cup. Josh Parker and Tom Eaves put the Gills 2-0 ahead before James Dayton pulled a goal back late in the second half before defender Joe Widdowson was dismissed for a second yellow card.

• Five of nine defeats have been by two or more goals
• Only two of their six wins have been by one goal

Despite the defeat, head coach Steve Davis saw his side dominate Gillingham in the second period. Speaking to leytonorient.com “I thought it was a brilliant second half and we are disappointed to go out, the lads made a magnificent effort in the second half. Thought we played some super football and how I want them to play” .

• Away League Record – P9  W2  D3  L4  F11  A18
• Only Torquay (19) and Guiseley (20) conceded more away
• Last away win 28/08/17 1-0 at Maidenhead
• No win in last seven away games – D4  L3
• Orient have not gone eight away games without a win since 2010

After a disappointing first half, Davis changed to a 4-4-2 diamond system which helped his team gain a foothold in the game. Speaking to eastlondonadvertiser “we took the game to them and changed our shape a little bit after half time”. He added “the diamond is just another way of playing and something we’ve done before and it works if you are prepare the type of football we played in the second half”.

• Scored 13/23 league goals in second half – seven between 76-90 minutes
• Conceded 19 first half goals 60% – most in National League
• Seven between 1-15 minutes and eight between 31-45 minutes
• All 12 games they have conceded first in, goals has been in first half
• No team in National League conceded more opening goals in the first 15 minutes of games (7) than Orient

Orient are winless in their last ten league games and Davis was pleased to have another full week on the training ground to work with his players. Speaking to leytonorient.com “we have done a lot of in and out of possession work and some defensive work. We have focused mainly on ourselves and pattern work getting a way of playing and defending. Trying to get our back four/ five stronger and competitive and realise the importance of clean sheets”

• Kept five clean sheets (three in league)
• No clean sheet in last four – two in last six games (both vs Dagenham in FA Cup)
• No clean sheet in last 11 league games 
• Last league clean sheet – 28/08/17 vs Maidehead 1-0 away
• Conceded two or more in last five away league games and nine of their last ten games

courtesy of soccerstats.co.uk

Midfielder James Dayton netted his first goal for the club at Gillingham and is hoping his side can take their performance into tomorrow’s game. Speaking to leytonorient.com “as a team we clicked a bit more and we were a bit more positive going forward. If we take it into next week, I am sure we will be able to compete in the game and hopefully come out with a positive result”.

• Failed to score in six games (five in league)
• Scored in last two games and six of last eight league games
• Scored in five of their last six away games
• Last failed to score – 24/10/17 Gateshead 0-3 home

Tomorrow’s game will be Orient’s fourth TV game of the season with Davis hoping their luck changes, “we haven’t had much success on the TV, we were hoping for third time lucky at Tranmere but hopefully it is fourth time now”. Orient are expected to take a large away following with Dayton stating to leytonorient.com about the Orient fans, “they have been unbelievable at every game this season. I don’t think I have been at a club where they have such a good following”

• No team in National League trailed for longer than Orient (718 minutes)
• In last 13 games, Orient only led for 116 minutes in four games (67 came in FA Cup)
• Trailed in 11 of their last 13 games

Ebbsfleet head into tomorrow’s clash with Orient on the back of a 6-2 home defeat to Doncaster Rovers in the first round of the FA Cup. Fleet went two goals up in the first half through a Danny Kedwell penalty and a Luke Coulson strike. But Rovers scored two goals just before the break to make the scores level before hitting four in the second half.

• Sit 13th on 25 points – three points from the play offs
• League Record – P18  W5  D10  L3  F24  A20
• No team in top five English League Drew more games than them

Manager Daryl McMahon was pleased with his sides performance however rued his sides inability to get to the break level. Speaking to BBC Radio Kent “That was the critical part of the game, I felt we lost the game then, even though we were level at half time, I thought the disappointment of being two up, then going 2-2 it changes my team talk. The game then becomes difficult for us”.

• Home League Record – P9  W3  D4  L2  F12  A10
• Won three of their last five home games in all competitions
• Won two of their last three home league games
• Last home defeat in league – Torquay 0-1, 24/10/17

Despite losing the games, Fleet were more than a match for league One Doncaster and McMahon knows that lessons have learnt “we showed for 45 we’ve got players that have the technical quality of players and League One level but what we didn’t have was the professionalism for the last few minutes. It’s a lesson that we have to learn going forward in our league campaign as well”.

• Kept eight clean sheets (six in league) 
• Kept one in last four games (all comps) – Sutton 0-0, 28/10/17
• Kept one clean sheet in last five league games
• Kept two clean sheets in last four home games

After winning just one of their first 11 league matches, Ebbsfleet have won four of their last seven with McMahon keen for his side to continue “I expect a reaction, Orient are not on a good run. They’ll come here, the stands open and should be a good day for us on tv”.

• Form in last six – W2  D2  L2  F8  A9
• No win in last three games
• Last league win – 3-2 vs Barrow, 21/10/17

McMahon enjoyed two and half years at Orient between 2004-2007 achieving promotion to League One in 2006. The former O’s midfielder is excited for the clash, speaking to kentonline.co.uk “I’d imagine on Saturday we’ll have more than we had last week because Leyton Orient will bring over 1000 fans”. He added “It’s a great club, I was there for two and half years and I have been back there a few times watching them. It is a top club and a lot of the people that were at the club when I was there are still there”.

• Failed to score in seven games (six in league)
• Failed to score in two of their last three games
• Only scored in one of their last four league games
• Last failed to score 28/10/17 – 0-0 vs Sutton United

After promotion from National League South last season, Fleet are opening their new stand tomorrow with the visit of Orient. McMahon highlights the importance of remaining focused on the job at hand. Speaking to ebbsfleetunited.co.uk “It’s a game that a lot of people want to come and see because there’s a life story, the cameras and the new stand. It is all a big build up, we’ll leave that to others, it’s a sideshow to myself and the players who will focus on the only thing that matters which is three points”. 

• Three of four wins have been by two or more goals
• 11/20 goals conceded in first half
• No team in National League scored more second half goals than Ebbsfleet (18)
• Eight between 76-90 minutes
• Five of their last eight goals scored have been in second half
• 66% of their home league goals scored in second half

Team News

Leyton Orient welcome back Jobi McAnuff and Dan Happe who missed last weekend’s defeat to Gillingham through injury. On loan pair James Brophy and Mark Ellis are available for selection after being ineligible in the FA Cup. Defender Joe Widdowson will serve a one game ban after his red card last weekend while top scorer Macauley Bonne is away with Zimbabwe on International Duty. George Elokobi, Josh Coulson and Charlie are making progress with their injuries.

Ebbsfleet welcome back Andy Drury after injury and Jack Powell is available after England C duty in Slovakia. Chris Bush will serve a one match ban following his dismissal against Doncaster. Jack Payne, Dave Winfield and Darren McQueen in remain side lined through injury while striker Bradley Bubb and Febian Brandy gained valuable minutes in a reserve game in midweek.

Prediction – Ebbsfleet  United 2-2 Leyton Orient