Leyton Orient will be looking to extend their good run of form as they host to Luton Town. The Hatters are likely to provide stiff opposition as they are in fine form themselves.  Here we preview Saturday’s game:

Leyton Orient

Orient travelled all the way up to Carlisle on Tuesday night and they returned with a point, but they could well have taken all three.

The home side took the lead after 17 minutes as Macaulay Gillesphey rifled a free-kick into the top corner of the Orient net. The O’s could’ve fallen further behind as they made a slow start to the match, however they improved as the game progressed.

Ollie Palmer and Sammy Moore came off the bench at the break as Nolan switched to a 4-4-2 and five minutes after the restart the O’s were back on level terms. Jay Simpson weaved his way into the Carlisle box and fired the ball across goal and into the far corner of the net to record his 23rd goal of the season. Orient then took the lead when Ollie Palmer broke through the Carlisle defence before slotting the ball through the ‘keeper’s legs, making it 1-2.

The O’s couldn’t quite hang on as Michael Raynes levelled the score with six minutes remaining. He was left unmarked, allowing him to head home from a cross.

Orient were obviously disappointed not to have held out for the win but Kevin Nolan spoke about ‘respecting the point’. It does mean that the O’s remain in the play-off places and they are unbeaten in their last three.

However, the top half of League Two is tight as just three points separate 5th place and mid-table. Orient could move up to 4th place this weekend, but if results don’t go their way they could fall as far as 12th place.

Team News

Jobi McAnuff  remains a doubt for Saturday’s game. The Jamaican international missed the match against Crawley as well as the trip to Carlisle after picking up an ankle injury in training.

Armand Gnanduillet was not fit enough to feature on Tuesday night either and he is also an injury concern ahead of the visit of Luton. The striker suffered an ankle injury against Crawley last Saturday.

Ollie Palmer played at Brunton Park despite struggling with illness the night before the game and he should be available for selection again on Saturday.

Lloyd James is still yet to make his return to the squad following his Achilles injury that kept him out of action for a couple of months.

Paul McCallum and Dean Cox are continuing their rehabilitation from their knee ligament injuries and both are progressing well.

In an attempt to keep his team fresh, Kevin Nolan made two changes to the side on Tuesday night. Jack Payne and Calaum Jahraldo-Martin were included in the starting line-up that saw a switch from a 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1 system.

Its seems likely that Nolan would want to return to a 4-4-2 this weekend just like he did at half-time against Carlisle, however he may be forced to continue with Jay Simpson as the lone front-man if his potential strike partners are ruled out.

Scott Kashket’s loan move to Welling has further diminished Nolan’s attacking options.

 

Ex Hatters

Connor Essam played 9 games for the Hatters during a loan spell in 2012/13.

 

Luton Town

Summer Transfers

Winter Transfers

 This Season

League 2: 13th  FA Cup: 2nd round  League Cup: 2nd round  Top Scorer: Cameron McGeehan 12

Luton Town travel to Brisbane Road in 13th place in League Two, however they are only six points behind Orient who currently occupy the last play-off spot.

Since becoming Hatters boss in early January Nathan Jones has overseen just two defeats in his nine games in charge. Luton have been in fine form of late, winning four of their last five games and a victory against the O’s on Saturday would make it four consecutive wins.

On Tuesday night the Hatters hosted Morecambe. The hosts created opportunities for Craig Mackail-Smith and Jack Marriott but they didn’t make the breakthrough until fifteen minutes from time when Marriott finished from a tight angle following Paddy McCourt’s through ball.

The Shrimps went in search of a late equaliser and Kevin Ellison and Chris Doyle both had attempts on the Luton goal but Mark Tyler kept his clean sheet and the Hatters’ winning streak intact.

Last Line-up:

Tyler

O’Donnell  Howells  Cuthbert  Sheehan

Lee  Smith  McGeehan  McCourt

Mackail-Smith  Marriott

(4-4-2)

Substitutes:

Lawless, Benson, Green, Ruddock (McCourt 90′), Okuonghae, Pigott, Justham

Luton have performed better on the road this season than they have at home. In 17 away games the Hatters have won eight, losing six, giving them one of the better away records in the league.

They have also been dangerous going forward when away from home, averaging 1.65 goals per away game, only Oxford and Northampton can boast a better record in League Two.

Team News

There are no new injury problems in the Luton squad ahead of the trip to Brisbane Road.

The only Hatters players to have been ruled out are Josh McQuoid and Nathan Doyle as both remain on the sidelines following knee operations.

They will also be without Mark O`Brien after the 23 year-old defender joined Southport on loan yesterday.

Ex O’s

Scott Cuthbert joined the O’s from Swindon Town in June 2011. In his first season with the club he was voted Leyton Orient Player of the Year as well as winning Total Orient Player of the Year. He made 160 appearances during four seasons with Orient, scoring seven goals. He left at the end of his contract last summer to join Luton.

Kevin Dearden joined the O’s in 2007, initially on a part time basis as goalkeeping coach but he later took on the role of chief scout also. He left the club in December 2014 and he joined Luton later that month.

Kevin Nugent began his playing career with Leyton Orient, making 125 appearances before joining Plymouth in March 1992. He had a second spell with the O’s ten years later, playing another 32 games for the O’s. He returned to the O’s as youth team manager in 2007 and remained on the coaching staff for nine years. He left the club in January and joined the backroom staff at Kenilworth Road.

 

 

The two sides have already met twice this season.

Orient made the trip to Kenilworth Road for a JPT tie in September. Danny Green broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark as he fired the ball into the top corner of Charlie Grainger’s net. However, the O’s drew level on the hour as they were awarded a penalty after Scott Cuthbert fouled Scott Kashket in the box. Lloyd James stepped up and converted his penalty to equalise. Jack Marriot saw red for a gesture towards the away fans with just under ten minutes remaining, but ten-man Luton went on to score a late winner. Ryan Hall’s effort on goal took a fortuitous deflection off of Stephen O’Donnell which diverted the ball past Grainger.

The O’s claimed a point in the league game in October.

Jack Marriott opened the scoring for the Hatters just after the half-hour. Dan Potts’ low cross deflected to the far post and the Marriott reacted first as he ran in behind Connor Essam and slotted the ball past Cisak. However, Jay Simpson came to Orient’s rescue again early in the second half. Sean Clohessy’s marauding run down the right flank ended with the Orient right back producing a low cross. Simpson was in the right place to poke the ball into the Luton net.

The two sides last met at Brisbane Road in January 2008 and the O’s won that encounter by two goals to one. Adam Boyd opened the scoring for the hosts shortly before half-time and Andy Barcham doubled Orient’s lead in the second half. Keith Keane pulled a goal back for the Hatters, but it didn’t spark a comeback for the away side.

Luton’s last away win over Orient was in the League Cup in August 2005. Chris Coyne put the Hatters in front on the brink of half-time and Warren Feeney’s goal and an own goal from Gary Alexander meant the O’s were three down with under fifteen minutes remaining. Orient could only muster a consolation goal courtesy of Darryl McMahon in stoppage time.

 

Match Officials

Referee: Charles Breakspear

Assistants: Dean Treleaven and Craig Taylor

Fourth Official: Mark Scholes

 

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