Leyton Orient head coach Justin Edinburgh is hoping his side continue their recent good form as they travel to Maidstone United tomorrow. The O’s travel to the Gallagher Stadium looking for a third win on the bounce with Edinburgh stating to leytonorient.com “it gave us back to back wins which breeds confidence but what we have got to do is make sure we continue it on Saturday”.

• Sit 20th on 24 points – three points above the relegation zone
• League Record – P24  W6  D6  L12  F31  A41
• Only Solihull (42) conceded more goals
• Only Torquay (14) and Solihull (16) have lost more games

The O’s progressed through to the second round of the FA Trophy after a 2-1 victory over Haringey Borough last weekend. Orient fell behind early to a Michael Ademiluyi strike but goals from Josh Coulson and Matt Harrold saw the East Londoners progress .

• Picked up back to back for third time this season and first time since September
• Form in last six – W2 D2  L2  F9  A9
• Win over Sutton was first league win in 16 games

After falling behind early at Coles Park, Edinburgh credited the professionalism his players showed in the second half to come from behind to win. Speaking to leytonorient.com “credit to the players, I would class it as a professional performance rather than anything spectacular”.

• Away League Record – P12  W2  D3  L7  F12  A24
• 2nd Worse defensive record away from home in league
• First win in last 10 away vs Haringey Borough, W1  D4  L5
• No win in last eight away league games
• Last away league win 1-0 vs Maidenhead, 28/08/17

A major positive for Edinburgh and Orient was the return of defender Josh Coulson who had been absent since the 23rd September through injury. With the start of four fixtures in ten days, the on loan Cambridge centre back is glad to be back playing. Speaking to leytonorient.com “I’m looking forward to the Christmas period but it is a still a case of seeing how many minutes I can play. I am focused on helping the team build on the previous two victories in the hope of registering some more positive results”.

• Kept just three league clean sheets
• Without a clean sheet in last 11 games in all competitions
• Kept just two in last 20 matches (both FA Cup)
• No clean sheet in last 17 league matches and last 10 away games
• Last league clean sheet – 1-0 vs Maidenhead (28/08/17)

After struggling on 4g pitches earlier in the season, the victory at Haringey gave Edinburgh’s men perfect preparation ahead of tomorrow’s clash at the Gallagher Stadium. With back to back wins, Edinburgh has seen players have a spring their step, “I’ve certainly seen a different attitude, approach and atmosphere, if we can go and get another positive result it will set us up nicely for the Christmas period”. leytonorient.com

• Have conceded 26/41 league goals in first half – most in league
• Conceded ten between minutes 1-15 and 31-45
• No side has trailed for longer in National League than Orient (983) 527 away
• In 13/28 Orient games this season, there has been a goal in the opening 15 minutes

Orient have netted six goals in the last two games and have looked more creative going forward since Edinburgh’s arrival three weeks ago. The former Northampton man has a clear philsophy and explained it to leytonorient.com “you have got to eliminate risks in our own half and be bright and expansive in the opposition half. We need our flair and creative players doing in the opponents half, I want players to play and express themselves”.

• Scored 19/31 league goals in 2nd half 
• Netted 11 in final 15 minutes of games
• In five of the last six games Orient have scored in, they have scored in the last 15 minutes

Maidstone boss Jay Saunders was linked with the Orient job before Edinburgh was appointed and the current O’s head coach is aware of the job he is doing. Speaking to East London Advertiser Edinburgh stated “Jay’s reputation seems to be growing and rightly so because he has done and excellent job at Maidstone. They’ve come through the leagues so it is going to be a tough encounter but we know what to expect”.

• Orient have not won three consecutive games since August 2015

Maidstone manager Jay Saunders was pleased his side bounced back from their recent dip in form with an emphatic 4-0 away win at Torquay last weekend in the FA Trophy. Speaking to maidstoneunited.co.uk “it was a good performance in a competition we would like to have a good run in”.

• Sit 11th on 34 points – four points outside the playoffs
• Only five teams have scored less than Maidstone
• League Record – P22  W9  D7  L6  F25  A27

The victory at Torquay was their first in six games since their win in the League at Torquay but this time Saunders’s men spent a night down in Devon. Saunders admitted to kentonline.co.uk that his side felt tired on their last visit in the second half so travelled down a day before and stated to maidstoneunited.co.uk “it was good for the players to spend a night away together, we are not big fans of it but it was good to get the boys together”

• Form in last six – W1  D2  L3  F6  A13
• Winless in last four National League games
• Last league win 1-0 at Torquay, 11/11/17

After taking the lead early in Devon, Saunders felt his side were always in control, “I thought we were comfortable bar the first five to ten minutes, especially once we took the lead from that point on we were very confident” maidstoneunited.co.uk. Saunders tried a 3-5-2 formation for the first time with great effect and stated to maidstoneunited.co.uk “we tried something new today and when you do that, you are always wary going into first game until you put it into practice”.

• Home League Record – P11  W3  D6  L2  F12  A14
• No win in last two – D1  L1
• One in last seven home games – W1  D4  L2
• Last home win – 1-0 vs Chester, 28/10/17
• Drew the most home games in League

Striker Jamar Loza was a late inclusion at Plainmoor with Saunders stating to kent-online “It was a decision whether to go with Zavon or D up alongside Pigs and I just felt it was a chance in the Trophy game to give Jam that run and I thought those two up there, especially first half, really caused them a lot of problems and probably both deserved a goal”.

• Failed to score in seven league games
• Failed in three of their last five games
• Only scored two or more in six of their 22 league games – just two of last nine games

Facing Orient tomorrow, Saunders revealed to maidstoneunited.co.uk “it is the same old thing all season, all the teams down the bottom come here with a new manager. They are going to be on a high, they had a good result against Sutton, we had them watched and again this weekend”. Maidstone lost 2-0 at Brisbane Road earlier in the season but Saunders felt “the scoreline was harsh, we played well but weren’t winning games”.

• Conceded 19/27 league goals in second half
• Conceded 11 in final 15 minutes (only Torquay 13 and Solihull 15 conceded more)
• 60% of their goals are scored in the second half – including 13 in final 30 minutes

Despite tomorrow’s opponents sitting three points above the relegation zone, Saunders knows that they have been underperforming this season, “if you look at their squad they shouldn’t be where they are simple as that. I expect them to start climbing the league”. However after their win at Torquay, Saunders highlighted “it was a good result for us which brings up the confidence and back to back clean sheets aswell which was pleasing”.

• 3rd time this season Maidstone have achieved back to back clean sheets
• Kept seven clean sheets in Leagues (just two at home) – Only Orient kept leass at home
• Two clean sheets in last eight games
• One clean sheet in last eight home games – 1-0 vs Chester

Team News

Leyton Orient defender Jake Caprice returns from suspension while Josh Coulson will be looking to continue after completing 60 minutes on his comeback last week. Matt Harrold netted his second in as many games at Haringey and will be pushing for a recall to the starting 11.

Edinburgh to leytonorient.com on his squad “we are getting stronger all the time, it is a positive for me and the group, we need them back. It provides competition for places in the group. People have got to deliver and produce performances to stay in team”

Maidstone midfielder Ollie Muldoon is a doubt with a hamstring injury while Jack Paxman will be hoping to be involved. Jamar Loza will be looking to keep his place after returning at Torquay from injury. Tom Wraight is pushing for a start after netting off the bench in Devon.

Prediciton – Maidstone United 1-1 Leyton Orient