Leyton Orient head coach Justin Edinburgh insists his side must be on top of their game when they visit in form Ebbsfleet United on Saturday. The O’s travel to Kent looking to keep their hands tightly on top spot but will face a Fleet side who have only lost one of their last 10. Speaking to the O’s Show “they gave us a real good game at home and we will expect another one on Saturday. We have always been good away from home and no doubt we will have to be at our best on Saturday. We go full of confidence”.

• Sit 1st on 57 points – two point lead over Salford
• Two wins in last five games
• Taken four points from last 12 available in league
• League Record – P29  W16  D9  L4  F49  A20

Orient head to Stonebridge Road on the back of a 1-0 away victory at Wrexham in the FA Trophy. Matt Harrold’s second half penalty was enough to sent the O’s in to Round Three with Edinburgh happy with the reaction of his side. Speaking to leytonorient.com “we were disappointed with the score line last week but we came here with a real believe, it was a real good away performance and an excellent victory”.

Orient’s Last Six Results

Defender George Elokobi made only his fourth start of the season at Wrexham, a game where Edinburgh rotated his squad giving minutes to squad members. With injuries to first choice center backs Josh Coulson and Marvin Ekpiteta, Elokobi highlighted the importance of making sure every player is ready to step in when called upon. Speaking to leytonorient.com “thankfully the gaffer has given some of us minutes to make we are up to speed because everyone is going to be needed from now until the end of the season”

• Away League Record – P14  W7  D5   L2  F23  A10
• Best record in league and joint best defensive record with Barnet
• Only won one of their last four on their travels
• Lost two of their last three away league games
• Not won back to back away games since November

Injuries have started to built up for the O’s but Edinburgh wasted no time in recruiting defender Jamie Turley into his squad ahead of the trip to Ebbsfleet. The former Spurs defender revealed to the O’s Show on Friday that George Elokobi and Dan Happe will start at Stonebridge Road. Edinburgh was delighted with their performance at Wrexham, stating to leytonorient.com “I thought George and Dan Happe, two players who haven’t had a lot of football were quiet immense. A colossus the both of them at the back, you wouldn’t have know they haven’t played much football”.

• Orient kept 13 league clean sheets – five away
• Kept three in their last four games
• Kept two in last three league games
• Kept seven in their last 11 games
• Kept three in last five away games
• Conceded six in their last five league games

Edinburgh will come head to head with Gary Hill who he was his assistant back in 2008 at Rushden & Diamonds. The former Woking man has moved Fleet into touching distance of the play offs and Edinburgh highlights the test that awaits his side. Speaking to the O’s Show “it’s going to be a tough one, I’m led to belief they have only lost once since October. Their form has been good, I know Gary Hill very well, I worked with him for a period of time at Rushden”. 

• Failed to score in six league games – 
• Scored in three of their last five games
• Only scored one goal in the last three games they have scored in
• Failed to score in two of their last three away league games
• But  have scored in 12 of their 14 away league game this season

Ebbsfleet sat 17th when Hill arrived at Stonebridge Road but has immediately seen an upturn in fortune. No side in the National League has taken more points since his arrival than Ebbsfleet and Edinburgh acknowledges Hill is getting the best from his side. Speaking to the O’s show, “He’s gone in and got a group of players that were probably underperforming, he’s got them performing to a level. They have a lot of good players there, they know this level, the were beaten semi-finalists and not a lot has changed”.

Orient’s Next Six Fixtures

Team News

New signing Jamie Turley could start after joining from Notts County in midweek while midfielder Craig Clay is set to return after missing the last four matches. Macauley Bonne, Jobi McAnuff, Josh Koroma, Joe Widdowson and Sam Ling should all return after sitting out the victory at Wrexham last weekend. Josh Coulson (hamstring), Marvin Ekpiteta (ankle) and James Dayton (knee) all remain sidelined through injury while Myles Judd is suspended after his red card at Wrexham.

Head to Head – Leyton Orient 0, Draw 2, Ebbsfleet 1

• All three meetings have seen both teams score
• Last two matches ended as draws

The Three Meetings Between Sides

Last Time Out – 1-0 vs Wrexham (FA Trophy)

Starting 11 at Wrexham

Prediction – Ebbsfleet 1-1 Leyton Orient