Crawley Form last 5 all comps: L W W D L
Orient Formlast 5 all comps: W L L D W
League Results and Performances
League Position: Crawley lie in 18th position with four points. A win would take them level on points with Orient.
Crawley have had a similar start to the season to Orient, with two wins and a draw from their first five games. They have been involved in some high scoring games with nine scored and seven conceded after five games (Orient have scored four, conceded seven).
On the opening day Crawley lost 2-1 to Carlisle. Both goals conceded were poachers’ goals, with the keeper pushing cross/shots back into the six yard box.
Against Salford, the Red Devils dominated, winning 2-0 with 30 shots on goal.
In their 2-2 draw with rock-bottom Scunthorpe, Crawley demonstrated defensive fragility. They failed to clear their lines repeatedly for Scunthrope’s second.
League Leaders Crewe Alexandra defeated Crawley on Tuesday night, with Town’s keeper failing to keep out the winner at the near post where he might have done better.
Crawley have only one win in the League. They beat Walsall in the EFL Cup and face Premier League Norwich City on Tuesday in the Second Round, which might tempt them to rest players against Orient.
Previous Meetings
The two sides last met in March 2017, Crawley won decisively 3-0 against a young Orient side battling relegation from League Two.
In the last meeting at Brisbane Road in December 2016, Orient won an exciting Boxing Day clash 3-2 with goals from Sam Dalby and Paul McCallum’s brace.
Since April 2014 every match between the two sides has gone with home advantage, with Crawley winning 3 and Orient 2 of the previous 5 encounters. Orient have never drawn with the Red Devils.
Last Season
Crawley finished 19th in League Two last season, losing manager Harry Kewell to Luton Town in September and then appointing Gabriele Cioffi, formerly a member of Gianfranco Zola’s staff at Birmingham City.
On last season’s form it looks likely that there will be goals at Brisbane Road in this encounter - Crawley kept just four league clean sheets on the road in 2018/19.
The Manager
Cioffi played as a defender starting in Serie C and rising to Serie A. He has coached at various levels in Italy and around the world, but this is his first managerial role in English football.
New Arrivals
Crawley have signed ten new players this summer, including Beryly Lubalafrom Birmingham City. The 21-year old Congolese striker is in impressive form having scored four goals in his first four games. He is a very direct player, pacy and confident taking the ball past defenders. Orient’s backline will need to watch him closely.
Jordan Tunnicliffe has established himself as first choice centre back. He will be familiar to O’s fans as part of the resilient AFC Fylde defence that bested us in the FA Trophy final at Wembley.
Also making an instant impact is attacking midfielder Nathan Fergusson.The 23-year-old was born up the road from Orient in Walthamstow, and started out at Dagenham and Redbridge. He was signed this summer from West Brom and has scored two goals and assisted one more already this season.
Familiar Faces
Returning to Brisbane Road will be target man Ollie Palmer, Crawley’s top scorer last season with 14 league goals (16 all competitions). Palmer has yet to get off the mark this season and will be hungry for goals. Josh Doherty also returns to Orient, though he never appeared for the O’s first team.
What do the Bookies Say?
Orient 6/5
Draw 9/4
Crawley 23/10
Verdict
On last season’s form this would be a game that I would have a lot of faith in Orient to win comfortably. Crawley are now a different beast, improved in attack, but still suspect in defence. With all the new arrivals they are still gelling as a side, which should present opportunities for Orient to exploit. I am expecting an open game with a lot of chances, and for Orient to kick on from their midweek victory over Mansfield to secure three points. Orient cannot afford to lose focus though, this Crawley side have goals in them.
