Leyton Orient will be keen to put last weekend’s disappointing defeat behind them as they travel to face automatic promotion contenders Oxford. The U’s are in good form and will be confident of continuing in that same vein. Here we preview Saturday’s game:

Oxford United

 Summer Transfers

 Winter Transfers

This Season

League Two: 2nd  FA Cup: 4th round  League Cup: 2nd round  Top Scorer: Kemar Roofe 22

Oxford United are currently flying high in League Two. They are joint-second (along with Plymouth Argyle) on 65 points from 35 games. The U’s are currently 13 points behind league leaders Northampton but they are six points above the play-offs and 12 points ahead of the O’s.

Oxford have been in good form of late as they are unbeaten in their last four, having won three. However three of their six league defeats so far this season have come in the last two months and they have happened at the Kassam Stadium.

Last weekend Michael Appleton’s side travelled to promotion rivals Plymouth and neither side managed to gain an edge as they drew 2-2.

The U’s went ahead after 12 minutes as Peter Hartley headed the ball into his own net. However, that goal was soon cancelled out, with Curtis Nelson scoring at the correct end from a corner to put Plymouth back on level terms. Kemar Roofe re-established Oxford’s lead shortly before the interval, finding the top corner of the net with a shot from the edge of the box. Fifteen minutes from time the home side pegged Oxford back again as Craig Tanner headed home the equaliser.

Last Line-up:

Slocombe

Kenny  Dunkley  Mullins  Evans

Roofe  Sercombe  Ruffels  Maguire

Hylton  Bowery

(4-4-2)

Substitutes:

Stevens, Asnby, Skarz, Lundstram, MacDonald, O’Dowda (Roofe 70′), Waring (Maguire 81′)

In League Two only Portsmouth and Northampton can boast a better defensive record at home than Oxford. In 17 home games they have conceded 15 goals and kept 7 clean sheets.

Team News

Joe Skarz was only named as a substitute against Plymouth due to a groin problem, however he is expected to be fully fit for the visit of Orient.

Benjamin Buchel is also fit again after recovering from a rib injury.

However, Jake Wright looks set to miss out again, along with Sam Long and Ryan Taylor who are on the sidelines with hip and groin injuries respectively.

 

Ex O’s

John Lundstram has had two loan spells at Brisbane Road. He first joined the O’s on loan from Everton in March 2014 initially for a month, but his deal was later extended until the end of the season. He made 9 appearances, including a substitute appearance in the 2013/14 play-off final, in which he scored his penalty in the shootout. Lundstram returned to the club on loan last season. He made 4 more appearances in a loan spell that lasted just over a month. He signed for Oxford on a two-year contract in August 2015.

 

Leyton Orient

Last Saturday the O’s slipped to a defeat against in-form Luton, ending Orient’s three-game unbeaten run.

The Hatters took the lead after 27 minutes as Jack Marriott capitalised on Shaun Brisley’s error. He then lobbed Alex Cisak to make it 0-1 and that proved to be enough to seal a fourth consecutive victory for Luton as Orient failed to break the Hatters down.

The O’s remain in 8th place and they are kept out of the play-off places on goal difference, however teams around them still have games in hand.

Orient can only move up one place if things go well on Saturday, but if results aren’t favourable they could drop as low as 13th.

 

Team News

Shaun Brisley is a serious doubt for the trip to the Kassam Stadium after he suffered a head injury against Luton last weekend. The Peterborough loanee was rendered unconscious after Hatters goalkeeper Jon Mitchell collided with him. Brisley received treatment, was substituted and he regained consciousness before being taken to hospital. He will face late tests before a decision is made over his availability.

Brisley was replaced by McAnuff, which meant Nicky Hunt moved to centre-back and Sean Clohessy reverted to right-back. It remains to be seen whether Kevin Nolan will play Hunt alongside Baudry again or whether he will restore Connor Essam to the starting lineup for the first time since the end of January.

Charlie Grainger is also on the injury list after he suffered a fractured scaphoid in his left hand in training. He is set to be on the sidelines for a while as the injury will require surgery.

Nolan recruited Crystal Palace goalkeeper David Gregory on loan until April and the 21 year-old will provide back-up to Alex Cisak in Grainger’s absence.

Both Jobi McAnuff and Armand Gnanduillet returned from ankle injuries to play their part against Luton and therefore they are set to be available this weekend.

Lloyd James is back in training after recovering from his Achilles injury however he is yet to make his return to action. He last played for the first team in December.

Paul McCallum and Dean Cox  have continued to make progress this week towards returning from their cruciate ligament injuries.

 

Ex U’s

Alex Cisak was loaned out to Oxford United in September 2007 but returned to his parent club Leicester a month later without having made an appearance.

 

 

When the two sides met earlier this season Leyton Orient recovered from a poor first half in which they went two goals behind to salvage a point against Oxford United. Kemar Roofe put the U’s ahead after fifteen minutes and ex-O John Lundstram then doubled the visitors’ lead as his shot deflected into the net. Orient reduced the deficit with 25 minutes remaining when Payne picked out Palmer with a fine pass and the striker squared the ball to Jay Simpson, who found the net for the tenth time this term. The O’s were then handed a numerical advantage as Jordan Graham received a second yellow card. However, Alex Cisak had to pull off two saves to keep the O’s in touching distance. That proved to be crucial as Scott Kashket came off the bench to grab a late equaliser with his first senior goal for the O’s.

Orient last travelled to Oxford on the final day of the 2005/06 season.  The O’s needed to match Grimsby Town’s result against Northampton to seal promotion. The U’s needed a victory to avoid relegation to the Conference. Eric Sabin gave the hosts the lead after 14 minutes but Craig Easton grabbed the equaliser for Orient just three minutes later. Gary Alexander put Orient ahead shortly after the hour mark, but Chris Willmott leveled things up again almost immediately. The O’s were boosted with five minutes remaining as Willmott received a red card but they needed a late winner as Russell Slade’s Grimsby had taken the lead against the Cobblers (though Northampton drew level late on). Lee Steele popped up with a last-minute winning goal which sealed Orient’s promotion after 11 seasons in the 4th tier. However, it was heartbreak for Oxford as they dropped out of the Football League.

Oxford’s last home win over Orient was earlier in the 2005/06 season in the Football League Trophy. The U’s progressed in the competition thanks to a goal from Eric Sabin.

 

Match Officials

Referee: Andy Woolmer

Assistants: Marvyn Amphlett and Joe Simpson

Fourth Official: Peter Gooch

 

 

Kassam Stadium

Capacity: 12,500

Post Code: OX4 4XP

 

How will the O’s fare against Oxford? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.