Date: 26th October 2019
Time: 15:00
Venue: The Breyer Group Stadium
Carl Fletcher takes to the dugout for his first home game as Orient head coach after Tuesday’s 4-0 defeat to Plymouth on the road. O’s were unfortunate that the match officials failed to spot a blatant deliberate hand ball immediately before Argyle’s first, but were well beaten by a strong opposition side over 90 minutes.
Fletcher will be looking for a response at Brisbane Road against a Carlisle United side (21st) four places below Orient (17th) in the league table. Orient were on a four-game unbeaten run before Tuesday, culminating in a 4-0 battering of the Cod Army in Grimsby.
Our new head coach will have had more time to work with the squad ahead of Saturday’s game. In his post match interview with Dave Victor, Fletcher revealed he had only had three hours to work with the players in training before the game at Home Park.
Carlisle have lost four league games on the spin, though they beat League One Blackpool 2-1 in the EFL Trophy during that run. Their last league win was a 1-0 victory over Oldham in September.
The Cumbrians have conceded after the 90th minute in three of their last four games, with another late goal (85th minute) in their 4-2 defeat to Crewe Alexandra.
Manager Steven Pressley will be aiming to shut up shop and keep a clean sheet, something his side have only managed three times in the League this season (against Scunthorpe, Oldham and Forest Green Rovers).
Head to head, the O’s have beaten Carlisle 20 times since their first meeting in 1936, with the Blues coming out on top on 22 occasions. Orient lost the last meeting at Brisbane Road 2-1 in 2017, but secured a 2-2 draw at Blundell Park earlier that season.
Between 2012 and 2014 Orient recorded a string of four victories against Carlise, scoring at least four goals in each match. A return to that sort of form would be just what the doctor ordered after Tuesday’s defeat.
Carlisle Ones to Watch
With four goals and four assists so far this season, Aston Villa academy graduate Harry McKirdy is the Blue’s key man going forward.
Olufela Olomola, on loan from Scunthorpe United has five goals so far this season and scored the winner against Oldham Athletic, finding space just inside the penalty area and finishing well.
O’s will also need to keep an eye on last season’s top scorer for the Cumbrians Hallam Hope. Hope scored 14 league goals last term, but has seen his opportunities limited this season, completing just 535 minutes according to BBC Sport.
Team News
Conor Wilkinson is out as he serves out the final game of his suspension for violent conduct against Walsall. Jobi McAnuff, Jamie Turley and Lee Angol all remain sidelined with injury problems.
Predicted XIs
Orient: Brill, Coulson, Ekpiteta, Happe; Widdowson, Dayton, Wright, Clay, Brophy; Maguire-Drew, Harrold
Carlisle: Collin, Branthwaite, Webster, Mellish, Elliott, Bridge; McKirdy, Scougall, Jones; Olomola, Hope
Bookies Odds provided by Fansbet.com
Orient 21/20
Draw 5/2
Carlisle 5/2
