MATCH PREVIEW: Leyton Orient v Dagenham & Redbridge – League Two

Despite a tumultuous week at the club, Leyton Orient will be hoping to reignite their play-off hopes by ending a four game streak without a win. Meanwhile Dagenham & Redbridge will be desperate for a win in order to keep their slim survival hopes alive. Here we preview Saturday’s game:

Leyton Orient

Last weekend Leyton Orient suffered a damaging 3-0 defeat at Barnet.

The hosts took the lead in the 25th minute through a John Akinde header. Just after the interval the O’s were handed an opportunity to equalise from the spot but Bees stopper Jamie Stephens saved Lloyd James’ penalty. Immediately after Orient were dealt another blow when Sam Togwell’s shot deflected into the O’s net. Akinde then wrapped up a good afternoon for Barnet as he beat Alex Cisak to the ball and headed it home on the hour mark.

That defeat saw the O’s slip down to 11th place in League Two, but they remain just two points off of the play-off places.

However, on Tuesday the club released a statement announcing that Kevin Nolan would no longer be managing the team in order to concentrate on his playing duties. Andy Hessenthaler was also announced as the caretaker manager until the end of the season. For his first game in charge Hessenthaler will be joined in the dugout by Roberto Gagliardi who has replaced Lee Harrison as goalkeeping coach this week after Harrison was sacked.

Those decisions have been a hot topic of debate among Orient fans this week. The Leyton Orient Fans’ Trust have proposed a protest on Saturday.

Orient President Francesco Becchetti released this video statement yesterday:

The O’s are without a win in their last four games and three of those games ended in defeat.

Orient could drop one place if results don’t go their way, but if things do go in their favour they could get back in the play-off hunt.

Team News

Mathieu Baudry returned to the squad last Saturday having completed his suspension, but he was only on the bench after being deemed not fit enough to start. He could return to the starting lineup this weekend.

Both Sammy Moore and Jack Payne missed the trip to Barnet due to illness, however they could well be available to face the Daggers on Saturday.

However Jobi McAnuff is doubtful for this weekend’s game. The Jamaican international was forced to miss last Saturday’s game due to a calf injury

Dean Cox and Paul McCallum are still on the road to recovery from their knee ligament injuries. However, McCallum is expected to return to training next week.

Charlie Grainger remains out of action with a hand injury.

 

Ex Daggers

Mathieu Baudry joined Dagenham & Redbridge in March 2012 on a loan deal until the end of the season. He made 11 appearances during his time at the club.

Blair Turgott made five appearances for the Daggers during a loan spell in 2014.

 

 

Dagenham & Redbridge

Summer Transfers

Nyron Nosworthy (Blackpool), Josh Passley (Fulham), Matt McClure (Wycombe Wanderers), Matt Richards (Cheltenham Town), Kane Ferdinand (Peterborough United), Clevid Dikamona (Poiré-sur-Vie), Niko Hämäläinen (Q.P.R, Loan)

Abu Ogogo (Shrewsbury Town), Scott Doe (Boreham Wood), Brian Saah (Woking), Billy Bingham (Crewe Alexandra), Luke Howell (Boreham Wood), Bradley Goldberg (Bromle), Jon Nouble

Winter Transfers

Oliver Hawkins (Hemel Hempstead Town, Undisclosed), Luke Guttridge (Luton Town), Luke Pennell (Dunstable Town), Oliver Muldoon (Charlton Athletic, Loan), Joe Worrall (Nottingham Forest, Loan), Dominic Hyam (Reading, Loan), Matty Cash (Nottingham Forest, Loan), Quade Taylor (Bolton Wanderers, Loan)

Ian Gayle (Welling United, Loan), Adeoye Yusuff (Welling United, Loan), Jodi Jones (Coventry City, Loan), Kane Ferdinand, Nyron Nosworthy

 This Season

League 2: 24th  FA Cup: 3rd round  League Cup: 1st round  Top Scorer: Jamie Cureton 8

Dagenham & Redbridge are currently in 24th place in League Two and they are 11 points adrift from safety. They could be relegated on Saturday if the Daggers lose and Stevenage beat Newport County. A win or a draw would keep their battle for survival going, and they could even be hanging in there if Newport win.

John Still’s side go in to this weekend’s game off the back of two defeats and their recent form shows five defeats in their last six outings. The only recent bright spot was their 2-1 win over Morecambe.

Last Saturday the Daggers suffered a comprehensive home defeat against play-off hopefuls Portsmouth. Ashley Hemmings put the home side 1-0 up ten minutes before the interval. However Pompey hit back with four second-half goals to complete a 1-4 victory.

On Tuesday night Still’s men didn’t fair any better in terms of points at his former club Luton Town. Pelly Ruddock gave the Hatters the lead shortly before half-time as his rising shot cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and in to the Daggers’ goal. After the break Jamie Cureton saw his close range effort get blocked as he tried to take advantage of a mistake from the Luton ‘keeper. Dagenham and Redbridge came agonizingly close to grabbing an equaliser late on as Oliver Hawkins’ close-range effort struck the crossbar and Luton scrambled the ball away following a couple of rebound attempts. The Hatters’ victory leaves the Daggers’ Football League status hanging by a thread.

Last Line-up:

Cousins

Hoyte  Dikamona  Hyam  Widdowson

Labadie  Richards  Muldoon

Cash                       Doidge

Hemmings

(4-3-3)

Substitutes:

Moore, Boucaud, McClure, Pennell, Chambers (Richards 81′), Cureton (Muldoon 46′), Hawkins (Doidge 81′)

Dagenham and Redbridge have found goals hard to come by this term. Their tally of 37 goals is the lowest tally in League Two along with Yeovil Town.

The Daggers are also without a win in their last seven away games and they have lost their last three on the road.

Team News

Liam O’Brien, Luke Guttridge and Zavon Hines are all set to miss the short trip to Brisbane Road. O’Brien is expected to miss the rest of the season. Guttridge has been out of action due to an ankle injury and Hines has a knee injury.

However, Matt Richards is available for selection after playing for the Daggers against Luton on Tuesday night.

Frankie Raymond is also hoping to play a part.

Ex O’s

Jamie Cureton moved to Brisbane Road in June 2011, however after just one goal in 23 appearances he was sent out on loan to Exeter and that move was made permanent at the end of the 2011/12 season.

First team coach Darren Currie played 10 games while on loan at the Orient from West Ham in the 1995/96 season.

First team coach Ian Culverhouse was Assistant Manager at Brisbane Road under Martin Ling.

Luke Guttridge had a loan spell with Orient in November 2006 and the move was made permanent in January 2007 when the midfielder left Southend and signed for the O’s until the end of the season. During that season he made 17 appearances for the club scoring one goal and he made a good enough impression to be offered a new contract at Brisbane Road. However, Guttridge rejected the offer, instead opting to join Colchester. He signed for Dagenham & Redbridge in January.

John Still progressed through the youth ranks with Orient, but he made just one appearance for the club and that came during the 1967/68 season. He suffered an injury in that match and was later released.

 

 

Leyton Orient cruised to a 3-1 win when they played Dagenham & Redbridge back in August.

Paul McCallum opened the scoring twenty minutes in, as his header went over Mark Cousins and into the hosts’ net. The O’s were then awarded a penalty just before the half-hour, which was coolly converted by Lloyd James.

In the second half, Dean Cox found the top-corner with a well executed free-kick, putting the visitors 3-0 up. It had been a comfortable afternoon for Orient, but Jamie Cureton grabbed a consolation goal late-on by lobbing the ball over the on-rushing Alex Cisak.

Dagenham & Redbridge last played at Brisbane Road in September 2011 in the Football League Trophy. Sam Williams put the Daggers ahead just after the hour but David Mooney snatched an equaliser for the O’s two minutes from time. Dagenham & Redbridge went on to win the penalty shoot-out 14-13.

Orient’s last home win against the Daggers was in November 2010 in the FA Cup. Scott McGleish put the O’s in front after just two minutes and Alex Revell doubled their advantage mid-way through the first half. Shortly after the hour Danny Green pulled a goal back from the penalty spot and Soloman Taiwo put the Daggers on level terms just a minute later. However, Scott McGleish completed his brace and sealed the win for Orient with fifteen minutes remaining.

 

 

Match Officials

Referee: Dean Whitestone

Assistants: Craig Taylor and Adrian Sannerude

Fourth Official: Stephen Finch

 

Follow us on twitter @TotalOrient for match updates.

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