Leyton Orient Interim Head Coach Ross Embleton is relishing the visit of former club Swindon Town to the Breyer Group Stadium on Saturday. Embleton left the Robins back in 2017 and is expected a tough test when he faces them for the first time. Speaking to leytonorient.com “they are a good team, have got good players, in a well backed squad. I expect them to be a real competitor this year pushing towards promotion. It will be a great test and one of our toughest at home”.

• Sit 15th on eight points
• League Record – P6  W2  D2  L2  F7  A9
• Only lost one of their last five games – W2  D2  L1
• Not won back to back games since April

The O’s head into the Swindon clash on the back of a 2-0 home win over Southend in the Leasing.com trophy. Dan Happe and Dale Gorman grabbed their first goals of the campaign to give Orient their first win in three games. Embleton was pleased with his sides performance stating to leytonorient.com “the message before the game was a case of go out to win, it was a night for opportunities. Last year tells you if you approach things right you never know where it will take you”.

Orient’s Last Six Results

Goalkeeper Sam Sargeant made his first competitive start since November 2017 on Tuesday night and kept his second clean sheet of the season. The 21 year old came on in the opening day win against Cheltenham and credited the whole team performance in their win over Southend. Speaking to leytonorient.com “credit to the team as a whole, we did well to ride storms at certain points in the game when they started chucking people forward. It was positive from the team, a win and clean sheet”.

• Conceded nine league goals – fourth most in league
• One clean sheet in last four games
• Without clean sheet in last three league games

Embleton rotated his squad on Tuesday allowing several of is squad players to have their first starts of the season. The O’s should have won by more than two on the night and the 37 year old was pleased with the competition for places in the squad. Speaking to leytonorient.com “a number of times we should have added to the score line. Tonight was about giving an opportunity to people to make their mark on the game, impose themselves and give me a problem. A number done that today”

Orient’s Next Six Fixtures

Orient’s interim head coach spent just under two seasons and the County Ground ending with relegation to League Two. Embleton revealed he learnt a lot from his time with the Robins stating to leytonorient.com “it was a very difficult time and period. It was my first real experience of first team football which didn’t end too well. There will properly be a bit of an edge towards the game in terms of how I left. I look back on the fact I learnt a huge amount about myself and first team football”.

• Joined Swindon November 2015 as first team coach
• 2015/2016 – finished 15th in League One
• 2016/2017 – finished 22nd in League One – relegated to League Two

With the added incentive of Kids for a Quid, Swindon are set to backed by a sold out away following of 1300 in East London. Embleton acknowledged the Robins away following but feels it will only make the home fans louder. “I know how loud Swindon can be at home and away but I know what that can do to our stadium. Our place has been rocking in recent times and I fully expect the home support to be on their feet”.

• Orient have only lost one of their last 11 home games – W7  D3  L1
• Not lost back to back home league games since October 2017
• Kept three clean sheets in last four home games
• Four clean sheets in last five home league games

The O’s battled back to earn a point at Salford last weekend after conceding in the first half. Despite having the qualities to get back into recent games, the 37 year old feels at the moment his side are giving themselves a mountain to climb. Speaking to leytonorient.com “we have shown real steel and desire to get back in to games in the last two away games. Collectively the message has been to not give ourselves obstacles to get over. Get ahead and manage games better than we have”.

• Conceded six in the last three league games
• Conceded five of their nine league goals in the first 30 minutes of games

Team News

Josh Coulson, Josh Wright and James Brophy are set to start on Saturday after overcoming knocks. Joe Widdowson could return after recovering from a rib injury. Dean Brill is set to return in goal while Louis Dennis should return in attack. Jamie Turley, James Dayton and Jobi McAnuff are all still out.

Head to Head – Leyton Orient 29, Draw 25, Swindon 27

Last Meeting – 03/05/2015 – Swindon Town 2-2 Leyton Orient

The Last Seven Meetings Between Sides

• Orient have only lost one of the last ten meetings – W5  D4  L1
• Three of the last four wins in fixture have been by the away side
• At least three goals in three of last four meetings
• Orient have only lost one of the last five home meetings – W2  D2  L1
• Orient have scored in last four games and eight of last nine meetings

Last Time Out – 03/09/2019 – Leyton Orient 2-0 Southend

Orient Starting 11 vs Southend

Prediction – Leyton Orient 1-2 Swindon Town