Leyton Orient are the visitors to The Banks’s Stadium this weekend as we enter into April where we can see the light at the end of the tunnel that signals the end of what will be another disappointing season overall, based on what our supposed goals were.
The O’s were delighted at the start of the season when the experienced Kenny Jackett showed up to manage them, but he didn’t even see the season out with some disappointing performances and results seeing him off down the road with their new man at the wheel being Richie Wellens who some touted for the Saddlers job following the departure of Matt Taylor.
Heading into the game, the visitors sit one position below us, 17th In League Two with just 7 games of the season remaining, having played the same amount of games as us. As far as it goes, this is a ‘dead rubber’ in completion terms, but both managers will surely be using this as a game to further assess the players they currently have at their disposal with a view to canning a few of them in the off-season and building what both sets of supporters will hope are successful teams next season for their respective side.
One player that might get a bit of a frosty reception from Saddlers fans is Otis Khan who of course left us after a very short stint in favour of a move to London.
The last six games that Leyton Orient have contested have given the following results:
12th March - Hartlepool United (A) - Drew 0-0
15th March - Forest Green Rovers (A) - Drew 1-1
19th March - Rochdale (H) - Won 3-1
22nd March - Harrogate Town (A) - Won 3-0
26th March - Barrow (H) - Won 2-0
29th March - Oldham Athletic (A) - Lost 2-0
The Saddlers head into this game having suffered only the second defeat of Michael Flynn’s reign, after a 2-1 loss at Salford City last time out. The gaffer and the side will be keen to put things right in this game, of that I have no doubt as we’ve seen that Flynn doesn’t like losing.
Squad availability is near-full, I believe that Reece Devine and Rory Holden are the two that won’t make it, however Zak Mills appears close to being considered having played for the reserves this week.
A player of interest to the opposition fans from our team will of course be former Orient striker, and current Saddlers hotshot, Conor Wilkinson. I wonder how much stick he will get from them? Maybe he won’t!
Goalkeeper Carl Rushworth is back in contention following a spell away with England Under 21’s, does he get back into the starting XI?
What team would you go with? Would you start changing things now we are practically safe? More youngsters and youth prospects in the squad?
I fancy us to get the three points here, with the aim solely being to achieve a top-half finish to paper over the cracks of the season.
- Walsall Win
- Draw
- Leyton Orient Win
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