Leyton Orient head coach Justin Edinburgh is expecting a battle when his side travel to FC Halifax tomorrow afternoon. Orient lost 3-0 at home in the reverse fixture and Edinburgh is aware of the task at hand. Speaking to leytonorient.com “It will be a tough game, we always know on the road we’ve got to be at our best to get anything and we certainly have got to be that on Saturday”.

• Sit 19th on 32 points – six above relegation zone
• League Record – P29  W8  D8  L13  F35  A42
• Form in last six  – W2  D3  L1
• Only lost one of their last eight games – 1-0 vs Bromley, 30/12/17

The O’s moved into round three of the FA trophy last weekend with a 2-1 extra time win at Bognor Regis. Orient took the lead through Macauley Bonne who headed home his 15th goal of the season however a wonder goal from Bognor’s Jimmy Muitt forced the tie into added time. Substitute Josh Koroma curled home the winner to send Orient into round three where they face a trip to Dover Athletic.

• Seven of their eight league wins have been by two or more goals

The win pleased Edinburgh but he felt his side didn’t perform to their best, speaking to leytonorient.com “I think we made extremely hard work of the game, the score line is an important one. We were below the standards set over the last four or five games, overall I am pleased with the result but disappointed with the performance”

• Away League Record – P14  W3  D4  L7 
• Only four teams have taken less points on the road than Orient
• Unbeaten in last four away games – W2  D2
• Only won one of their last 10 away league matches – W1  D4  L5
• Win at Maidstone 2-0, 23/12/17

Since Edinburgh’s arrival at Brisbane Road, Orient have only conceded three goals in seven league games – the least amount in the league. However after ending a run of 383 minutes without a goal, Edinburgh is keen for side to be more ruthless in attack, “we need to be braver in possession, defensively we have vastly improved since I’ve been here but offensively we have to take more care, have more belief and make better decisions”.

• Kept seven league clean sheets (four away)
• Kept two in their last three games
• Kept four in their last six games
• Kept back to back away clean sheets in the league

Striker David Mooney praised his sides resilience on Saturday as they dug out a result. The 33 year old acknowledged the impact Edinburgh has had and highlighted that the former Gillingham man laid down his markers early. Speaking to leytonorient.com “he’s brought in some different ideas and implemented them on the pitch, everybody can see the work rate has gone up. It is something he wants, his style is pressing from the front, if you don’t get after people, you’ll be off”.

• Failed to score in ten league games
• Scored first goal in four matches a Bognor
• Scored in three of their last four away games
• Not scored in the league since Boxing Day
• Last failed to score in four consecutive League matches back in October 2012

Mooney is aware of the dangers that Halifax could present tomorrow as he looked back to the reverse fixture in September, “when we played them they were pretty direct on the night and done a bit of a number on us. Our backline has probably changed a lot since then They had a big lad up front and two tricky wingers”. With just two defeats in nine games under Edinburgh, Mooney feels “we have got a bit of a head of steam up, if we can get another win it will be great. We are going there to get a positive result”.

• Conceded 27/42 league goals in first half
• No team in National League conceded more first half goals
• Conceded 10 in minutes 1-15 and 31-45
• Only two of the five goals conceded under Edinburgh have been in first half

Edinburgh has praised the Orient fans every since his arrival at Brisbane Road and stated “we are starting to give them something to cling onto and be proud of”. However tomorrow’s game might not be a classic, “it’s a game we will have to do the horrible side well, if we get that right, I think we will come away with something”.

• Scored 22/35 league goals in second half – including 11 in final 15 minutes of games
• Nine of the 11 goals under Edinburgh in 90 minutes have been in second half
• 13 of the last 16 goals Orient have scored have been in second half

FC Halifax head into tomorrow’s clash with Orient on the back of a 4-1 FA trophy defeat to Maidenhead last weekend. Winger Matty Kosylo put them ahead in the first minute, however three goals in a 14 minute spell either side of half time put them on the back foot before Maidenhead wrapped up victory 17 minutes from time from the spot.

• Sit 16th on 34 points – eight above relegation zone
• League Record – P29  W8  D10  L11  F31  A38
• Form in last six – W1  D2  L3
• Win came 1-0 in FA Trophy vs Macclesfield, 09/01/18

Manager Billy Heath praised his sides first half performance however rued their inability to put their chances away. Speaking to fchalifaxtown.com “the first half performance was very, very good, we played really well We played some good stuff and really should have been out of sight. We got the goal early and then we had two really good chances”.

• Only scored two or more goals in two of their last ten home games
• Failed to score in 12 league games
• Scored in three of their last four
• Only scored in one of their last three league games
• Scored in their last four home games and five of their last six at home

The killer goal for Heath was the one they conceded on the stroke of half time and he insisted that his side must learn lessons from it, “we are disappointed with the goal, when you are right on half time, the wide players should have dropped in a little deeper and protected it a little better”.

• Kept 12 league clean sheets (four at home)
• Only Macclesfield (13) and Wrexham (15) have kept more clean sheets in league
• Kept two in their last three games and four in their last seven
• Kept two in their last four home games
• Kept just one clean sheet in their last seven home league games

Midfielder Danny Clarke rued his sides second half performance which ultimately cost them their place in the FA Trophy. Speaking to fchalifaxtown.com “obviously it’s a disappointing result, it was a poor poor end to it really. Stupid defensive errors cost us and made it a bigger score-line and look a worse game than it was I think”.

• Conceded 23/38 league goals in the second half
• 15/19 conceded at home have come in second half
• Six of the last eight have been in second half

After a promising start to the season, the Shaymen have only picked up two wins league wins since 23rd September – 17 games and Heath understands the importance of tomorrow’s clash with Orient. “It’s a big game, every game is a big game, we have just got to pick up some league points. It’s a massive game against Orient, we have got to start winning our home games and take care of ourselves and nobody else”.

• Home League Record – P14  W5  D4  L5  F19  A19
• Won two of their last four home games
• Not lost back to back home games since August
• Only won one of their last eight home league games – W1  D4  L3
• Win 4-0 vs Chester, 23/12/17

Last weekend’s game saw Halifax have a thread bare squad with Heath highlighting the need of getting players back and adding to his squad. Speaking to fchalifaxtown.com “the squad is no where near big enough, today we had 14 first team players, we have got to add to the squad. We have to get players in, it’s not if, it has to happen. We have our targets and it has to happen”.

• Seven of their 11 losses have been by two or more goals
• 19/31 league goals scored have been in the first half

Team News

Leyton Orient will be without the suspended Joe Widdowson who was sent off for two yellows at Bognor. Dan Holman returns after being cup tied whilst Josh Coulson, James Dayton and Alex Lawless return from injury after missing last weekend’s win. Defender George Elokobi returned from his lengthy lay off and is set to be included within the squad. Charlie Lee remains the only long term absentee.

Michael Collins and Cliff Mayo missed the game with Maidenhead due to illness and the birth of his child respectively. Matty Kosylo continues his comeback from injury but it still not back to his maximum.

Head to Head – FC Halifax 5, Draw 4, Leyton Orient 10

Last meeting – 12/09/2017 – Leyton Orient 0-3 Halifax

The last 12 meetings between the sides

Prediction – FC Halifax 1-2 Leyton Orient