Beaconsfield Town manager Gary Meakin is hoping for the unexpected when his side travel to National League leaders Leyton Orient on Saturday. The sides meet in the first round of the FA Trophy but despite 52 league places and two leagues separating the sides, Meakin highlights football can bring surprises. Speaking to bucksfreepress.co.uk “we will be going there to win and although we are expected to lose, football’s a funny old game and anything can happen”.
- Unbeaten in last four – W2 D2
- Only lost two of their last 19 games – W11 D6 L2
Beaconsfield’s Last Six Results
The Rams head to the Breyer Group Stadium on the back of a 1-1 home draw with Poole Town last weekend. Beaconsfield sit seventh in Evo Stick Southern Premier South Division and have adapted to life well at Step Seven after promotion last term. The Buckinghamshire outfit have competed well in both the cup competition this season but acknowledged to bucksfreepress.co.uk what their ultimate aim is”we have done very well, the first thing is to stay up and we currently sit seventh which is fantastic for us, hopefully we can continue our form”.
Beaconsfield Record in Cup Competitions 18/19
Meakin returned to the Rams at the start of the 2017/2018 season for his second reign as Beaconsfield manager coinciding with Chris Coyle’s appointment as Chariman. The Buckinghamshire outfit have been steadily improving and have come close in recent cup competitions. Saturday’s clash with Orient has given the Rams a chance to showcase what they are about. Speaking to non-league paper Meakin stated “it’s what we needed really as a club. We have been doing so many great things in the last few years and getting a draw like this makes people sit up and notice. It’s not going to change the world but it will put what we do in the spotlight a bit more and hopefully people will recognise what club is all about”
Gary Meakin’s Record in All Competitions since start of 17/18 season
Despite a lower than normal crowd expected at the Breyer Group Stadium, Meakin is relishing the prospect of his side playing in front of a large crowd and doesn’t think they will be intimated by the contest. Speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio “Orient are a Football League club really, they struggled a bit last year, but we have a headed group, they take it in their stride and will enjoy the game without being overawed by the occasion”
- Kept eight clean sheets this season
- Without a clean sheet in last six
- Kept just one in last ten games (1-0 vs Swindon Supermarine, 06/11/18)
- One in last six away games
- Not kept a clean sheet in last six FA Trophy games
The Rams will take confidence from Maidstone United who beat Orient in FA Cup Fourth Qualifying round back in October. With the O’s sitting top of the National League, Meakin knows that if Orient don’t have their full attention on the game, The Rams could provide a shock. Speaking to bucksfreepress.co.uk “we can cause an upset, if we are on top of our game and Orient don’t give us the respect we deserve and don’t take us seriously; we can definitely give them something to think about”.
- Away Record this season – P12 W7 D3 L2 F18 A11
- Unbeaten in last five – W3 D2
- Only lost one of their last ten on the road – W7 D2 L1
- Defeat 2-1 vs Concord Rangers, FA Cup Third Qualifying, 6/10/18
Vice chairman Steve Sweetlove will have divided loyalty in E10 tomorrow, being a boyhood Leyton Orient fan. Sweetlove is one of three generations of O’s fans in his family and always dreamt of a time when Beaconsfield would be in the same draw as Orient. Now, he is hoping that the draw can highlight the work that has been going on at Holloways Park. Speaking to BBC Three Counties “hopefully it draws some press and attention so we can get some more people along. The players are playing out of their skin, last season and this season. All we can do is keep doing it on the pitch and the town can get behind us”.
- Only failed to score in one game this season
- Scored in last 19 games in all competitions
- Scored in all 12 away games
- Only failed to score in one of their last 28 games (0-1 Tiverton, 01/09/2018)
Team News
Skipper Wes Daly and midfielder Nathan Webb are both doubts after being substituted in last weekend’s draw with Poole Town.
Gary Meakin to bucksfreepress.co.uk on his squad ahead of the visit to Orient
“I am hoping to have a full squad available for the game. Some of the guys missed out against Poole Town, but they missed out with knocks and bruises so the players should all make a full recovery”i
Last Time Out – 1-1 draw vs Poole Town
- Ravan Constable, 2. Jerome Eccleston, 3. Mayowa Balogan, 4. Reece Yorke, 5. Luke Neville, 6. Wes Daly, 7. Louis Stead, 8. Dan Brown, 9. Brendan Matthew, 10. Bajram Pashay, 11. Charlie Losasso
Prediction – Leyton Orient 3-1 Beaconsfield Town
Football Analyst 