Leyton Orient defender Josh Coulson highlights that his side should take some frustration out on Dover Athletic when they travel to the Crabble tomorrow. The O’s blew a three goal lead at home to Gateshead last weekend in the FA Trophy and Coulson is aware that his side need to react tomorrow. Speaking to leytonorient.com “we have to pick ourselves up, it’s football. We need to take some frustration in to react and get a good performance”.

• Sit 16th on 42 points – eight above relegation zone
• Unbeaten in their last six – W4  D2
• Last defeat – 3-2 vs Aldershot, 27/01/2018
• League Record – P34  W11  D9  L14  F42  A47

Orient cruised into a three goal lead thanks to goals from Josh Koroma, Ebou Adams and Josh Coulson however Gateshead netted three times in 22 minutes to force a replay. Head coach Justin  Edinburgh was very disappointed with the two different sides he saw from his team on Saturday.  Speaking to leytonorient.com Edinburgh stated, “we were in control of the game, we played the best 65 minutes of football certainly here since I’ve been here. But to back that up with probably the worse 20-25 minutes, in terms off complacency we have to accept that”. 

• Conceded 30/47 league goals in the first half – including 16/25 away
• Ten between 1-15 minutes and ten between 31-45 minutes
• Only five of the 16 conceded under Edinburgh have been in the first half
• Six of the last seven conceded have been in second half – five in the final 30 minutes of games

The draw with Gateshead ended an unbeaten February for Edinburgh’s men, their first unbeaten month of the season. Edinburgh praised the effort of the players and is determined to start March with a win on Saturday. Speaking to leytonorient.com “I am delighted for the players, credit to the boys they have put the work in and gone out, putting in high quality performances. It is what we have got to match and we are doing that. It’s been a good month but it could have been capped with confirming our semi final spot but we are still in the draw”.

• Away League Record – P17  W6  D4  L7  F18  A25
• Unbeaten in their last eight – W7  D1
• Last defeat – 1-0 vs Solihull Moors, 02/12/2017
• Back to back 1-0 wins at AFC Fylde and Chester
• Won last five in a row (including extra time win at Bognor)

With the weather playing havoc across the country, Orient’s replay with Gateshead was postponed in midweek and rearranged for next Tuesday. The backlog of fixtures means Orient will have a busy end to the season but Coulson loves the buzz of playing games, “there is a lot of games coming up, I love that, it is what we want to play in. Having a big squad helps, it is evitable we will pick up knocks and injuries and it is good to have healthy competition“.  

Orient’s Run of Games till Easter

A worry for the O’s is, it was the second time in a month they blew a three goal lead after cruising in a match after almost blowing their lead against Dover in early March. Coulson acknowledges that is side will know what to expect when they arrive at the Crabble tomorrow, “it will much the same, we all know what happened there, it wasn’t good, we will look to put that right as well and hopefully it will comfortable”

• Kept nine league clean sheets (six away)
• Kept two in their last three – including their last two away games
• Kept four in their last five away games
• Kept four in ten games in 2018 and six in 16 games under Edinburgh

With little chance of training outside, Edinburgh highlighted how annoying the big freeze has been but ensures that the players will be ready when they set foot on the pitch on Saturday. Speaking to leytonorient.com “it has been extremely disruptive, we have kept the players ticking over in the gym and we have prepared the best we can. We go there full of confidence hoping to record more points which keeps us moving up the table”.

• Failed to score in ten league games – (five away)
• Scored in their last eight games
• Last failed to score – 0-0 vs Boreham Wood, 06/01/2018
• Scored two or more in five of their last eight games
• Scored in seven of their last eight away games

Dover Athletic head into tomorrow’s clash with Orient on the back of a 3-1 defeat away at AFC Fylde, their fourth defeat in their last five. Mitch Pinnock had put them ahead but three goals in the last 22 minutes from Danny Rowe, Serhat Tasdemir and James Hardy helped Fylde to victory.

• Sit 9th on 54 points – one point outside play offs
• League Record – P35  W14  D12  L9  F47  A33
• Form in last six – W2  L4
• Only Wrexham (29) have conceded fewer goals

Despite taking the lead at Mill Farm last weekend, Dover were unable to hold onto the lead and manager Chris Kinnear was disappointed with how is side played once they had the advantage. Speaking to kentonline.co.uk “once we got the goal, the game died down a bit, but we were guilty of trying to play too much. We gave the ball away and you can’t do that”.

• Kept 13 clean sheets in league (seven at home)
• Kept just one in last ten
• Kept one in last six home games
• Conceded two or more in seven of last ten games

Kinnear felt his side overplaying when in possession cost his side a result at Fylde and understands that his side need to learn how to see games out, “the players need to learn, once we get one nil up, you can’t over play. The conditions weren’t the best but it’s the same for both teams, the pitch was more of an issue for the way we like to play”.

• Failed to score in eight league games (four at home)
• Scored in last three games
• Scored in nine of last ten games
• Only failed to score 0-1 vs Sutton, 10/02/2018
• Scored in five of last six at home
• Scored two or more in 11 of last 16 games

Kinnear’s men are in a battle for what looks like one play off spot and the 63 year old knows that his side have the ability to finish in the top seven. Speaking to doverathletic.com “we’ve just got to move on, there is a long way to go still, you can go on a run”

• Home League Record – P18  W8  D5  L5  F25  A14
• Joint Best defence with Wrexham
• Won three of last five at home , lost other two
• Last win 1-0 vs Dagenham, 20/02/2018
• Conceded in six of last eight at home

It will be the third meeting between the sides this season and assistant manager Jake Leberl stated to kentonline.co.uk “they have been tight games with Leyton Orient, they were 3-0 up in the trophy game, we got back but lost 4-3″. He added “we know each other very well and there won’t be any surprises, it will be a good game and hopefully a good crowd”.

• Scored 28/47 league goals in second half
• Scored 14 in final 15 minutes of games – gaining eight points this season
• Conceded 22/33 league goals in second half
• Eight of their last 11 have been in second half

Team News

Leyton Orient have doubt over midfielder Jobi McAnuff and defender George Elokobi but midfielder Ebou Adams is fit to play after picking up an injury last weekend. Dan Holman is expected to return after missing the trophy game due to being cup tied. Marvin Ekpiteta has been recalled from his loan spell his at East Thurrock and could be involved.

Dover are expected to have recent signings Kevin Lokko and Ade Azeez in their squad after their moves from Dagenham and Cambridge. Mitch Pinnock will hoping to add to his five goals in his last five games on Saturday. 

Prediction – Dover Athletic 1-3 Leyton Orient