Preview: Leyton Orient vs. Exeter City

Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s League One clash between Leyton Orient and Exeter City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Leyton Orient will have the chance to record a second straight win when they welcome Exeter City to Brisbane Road for Tuesday’s League One contest.

Meanwhile, the Grecians will be looking to continue their fine run of form after putting together a six-game unbeaten run.

Match preview
© Reuters

After winning promotion from the fourth tier last season, Leyton Orient can be pleased with how they have fared in their first League One campaign since.

The O’s are well set to achieve a top-half finish, having picked up 61 points from 42 games to leave them in 10th place with four matches to play.

With nine points separating them from the playoffs, Leyton Orient are set to fall short of the top six, but they will still be keen to finish the campaign with a strong set of results.

Richie Wellens’s side recently bounced back from consecutive defeats to record a 3-1 victory over Cheltenham Town thanks to goals from Ethan Galbraith, Ollie O’Neill and Ruel Sotiriou.

They will now turn their focus to Tuesday’s home fixture, where they will have the opportunity to complete a league double over Exeter after picking up a 2-1 win in September’s reverse fixture.

Exeter will travel to Brisbane Road in a confident mood, having won four of their last five matches, including their last two outings.

The Grecians edged out Cheltenham via a 2-1 scoreline, before they recorded another narrow win in Saturday’s home meeting with Stevenage.

Reece Cole’s first-half effort proved enough to claim a 1-0 victory and make it six games without defeat since Exeter lost to Peterborough United on March 2.

Having collected 54 points from their 42 matches, the 12th-placed side are now just two points away from equalling last season’s tally.

Gary Caldwell’s side will fancy their chances of claiming all three points after winning five of their previous seven away matches.

Leyton Orient League One form:

Exeter City League One form:

Team News
© Reuters

Leyton Orient will go into Tuesday’s fixture without the services of Darren Pratley, Dan Happe, Theo Archibald, Jordan Graham and Idris El Mizouni.

Shaq Forde could return to the starting XI after the winger dropped out of the lineup for Saturday’s clash with Cheltenham.

Zech Obiero made his first start in the Football League at the weekend, and the 19-year-old will hope to get another chance to feature from the first whistle.

The visitors, meanwhile, may be unable to call upon forward Sonny Cox, who was forced off in the first half against Stevenage due to a hamstring problem.

There are doubts surrounding the availability Yanic Wildschut and Mo Eisa after the pair were left out of Saturday’s matchday squad.

Defender Zak Jules has completed a three-match suspension, and he is now in contention to start against Leyton Orient.

Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:
Brynn; Galbraith, Beckles, Cooper, James; Obiero, Brown; Forde, Moncur, O’Neill; Sotiriou

Exeter City possible starting lineup:
Sinisalo; Sweeney, Aimson, Jules; Rankine, Carroll, Woods, Niskanen; Cole, Harris; Aitchison

We say: Leyton Orient 1-2 Exeter City
The hosts may have enjoyed success at the weekend, but Exeter have won five of their last seven away matches, and we think they will produce another strong performance on the road to clinch all three points.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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