Leyton Orient midfielder Craig Clay is expecting an exciting clash when the O’s travel to AFC Fylde on Saturday. Both sides have only lost once in the league so far this season and with just two points separating them, Clay knows it will be a tough clash. Speaking to the O’s Show “it will be a good footballing game, they like to play and we like to play, as a neutral it will be a good footballing game. It’s going to be tough, they are only a few points behind us”.

• Sit 3rd on 37 points
• League Record – P18  W10  D7  L1  F34  A11

Orient’s Last Six Results

Orient head to Mill Farm on the back of a 1-1 draw away at Eastleigh on Tuesday night. Top scorer Macauley Bonne grabbed his 13th of the season in the second half earning his side a point after Josh Hare had headed Eastleigh ahead. Head Coach Justin Edinburgh admitted his side weren’t on top of their game but was pleased his side collected a point. Speaking to leytonorient.com “I think every point you earn is a point gained. We were far from our best today but a good trait is don’t play well and pick something up and we did that tonight”.

• Kept eight clean sheets this season
• Kept three in last five games
• Only conceded five goals in last 12 league games – keeping seven clean sheets
• Kept three clean sheets in last five away games

Orient were at their fluid best last weekend in their 4-0 over Havant & Waterlooville but Eastleigh made it difficult for them on Tuesday. The O’s struggled to create in the first half and found themselves a goal behind. Bonne stated to leytonorient.com “we spoke at half time about being tidier, be more us. We didn’t play our football in the first half. We needed to be tidier on the ball, make the right decisions and go out second half and put it right”.

• Scored 20/34 in second half – including 16 after the 60th minutes
• Nine of their last 15 have been scored in first half
• Orient have only led at half time in seven games
• Five of their last eight games, Orient have opened the scoring in first half

The O’s are unbeaten on their travels so far this season and are unbeaten against the current top six. Saturday’s clash with Fylde pits third against fifth and with just three points separating the top six, Edinburgh is keen to only look forward to the next game. Speaking to leytonorient.com after the Eastleigh draw “they are all big games, tonight was the biggest game of the season. The next one is, every game we play we always say this. Wherever we go, every team you play on it’s merit is a difficult game”.

• Away League Record – P9  W5  D4  F17  A6
• Best record in league and top scorers away from home
• Unbeaten in last 10 away league games
• Only lost one of their last 14 away league games – W7  D6  L1
• Won four of their last seven away games – W4  D2  L1

With Orient out of the FA Cup, Saturday’s meeting with Fylde is the O’s last game for two weeks. After their point at Eastleigh, Edinburgh’s men are now unbeaten in their last four league games and Bonne knows it is key for his side to keep the points ticking over. Speaking to leytonorient.com “credit to the boys, we came out second half and dug deep to come away with a point. To leave here without losing keeps the momentum going. Keep getting draws and wins is going to keep us climbing the table”.

Orient’s Next Six Games

The O’s won at Mill Farm back in February and after their good start to the season Edinburgh is expecting the Coasters to be challenging at the top end of the league come April. Speaking to East London Advertiser “we came up against them last season and they made the playoffs. They haven’t made wholesale changes, they’ve added, are accomplished and understand the league”. He added “I expect them to be in and around it again. That one this weekend will certainly be tough”.

• Failed to score in three games this season
• Scored in every away league game this season
• Scored in last 10 away league games
• Only failed in one of their last 13 away league games
• Scored two or more goals in 9/18 league games and three of their last four away league games

Team News

Joe Widdowson is available after serving the final game of his three match ban on Tuesday. Myles Judd is suspended after picking up his fifth caution of the season at Eastleigh. Sam Ling is a doubt with an ankle injury while Alex Lawless could deputise at right back if needed.

Head to Head –Leyton Orient 1, Draw 0, AFC Fylde 1

• Only the third meeting between the sides
• MacAuley Bonne and Danny Rowe have scored three of the four goals between sides in this fixture

Last Season’s Results

Last Time Out – 1-1 vs Eastleigh

Starting 11 vs Eastleigh

Prediction – AFC Fylde 1-1 Leyton Orient