The O’s welcome Northampton Town to the Breyer Group Stadium on Saturday for a match that could prove pivotal to both teams promotion aspirations.
Are The Orient Beginning To Wobble?
Leyton Orient have been brought back down to earth in recent weeks after their 10-match unbeaten run to start the season was ended by a shock home defeat to Newport County at the start of October. The O’s followed the disappointing loss with a 1-1 draw away at Doncaster Rovers last weekend, dropping them to second in the table; two points behind leaders Stevenage.
Richie Wellens’ side will be keen to prove that the last two results have merely been a blip in form as they look to get back on track against a Northampton side that are having problems of their own.
Northampton Town
The Cobblers have had their bright start to the season curtailed by an illness that has decimated the playing squad in recent weeks. Northampton were unbeaten in the league before the illness began circulating amongst the squad shortly before they lost their first game of the season against Swindon on October 1st.
They have since lost their subsequent two games with manager Jon Brady claiming that up to five players “got off their sick beds” to feature in the squad that lost 1-0 away at Salford City last weekend. The mystery illness is not believed to be Covid-19 related.
Despite their downturn in results, Northampton still sit third in League Two, three points behind Orient having played one game more.
Player To Watch
Before succumbing to the sickness bug that has plagued his side for the past three games, Sam Hoskins was the story of Northampton’s start to the season. The former Southampton and Yeovil attacking midfielder is the top scorer in League Two this term having scored 11 goals in his 11 games.
Northampton’s talisman returned to the side for last weekend’s loss away at Salford City but was clearly not playing at full fitness as he struggled to impose himself on the game.
It remains to be seen whether he will have returned to full fitness in time for the trip to East London.
Edited by M.Gowie
