Next Up: Leyton Orient vs Exeter City
City’s fine form continued with a 1-0 win over Stevenage on Saturday, effectively confirming that City’s final midweek match of the season is something of a dead rubber against a side that has too much to do to challenge at the top end of the table. Gary Caldwell revealed in his post-match interview on Saturday that his selections towards the end of this campaign will be focused on looking at players who are due to be at the Park next season. An exception was made against Stevenage for Alex Hartridge, who skippered the side in what is likely to be his last match in City colours before he moves on in the summer after turning down a new contract. With Zak Jules back from suspension, either he or Ben Purrington will slot into the left sided role at Leyton Orient. Elsewhere Sonny Cox was withdrawn with a hamstring injury which is likely to keep him out – Mo Eisa was another player left out on Saturday with an eye on next season, but the Sudan international may return in place of Cox, otherwise Jack Aitchison could lead the line – which would then accommodate the quartet of Woods, Carroll, Cole and Harris.
Having returned to the third tier for the first time in nearly a decade, Leyton Orient have taken to their new level like a duck to water, although Richie Wellens’ side finds itself just too far adrift of the playoff pack following a poor Easter period which saw the Os lose to playoff chasing Lincoln and Peterborough. A 3-1 win over Cheltenham on Saturday has left their supporters clinging to the faintest hope of a late charge. The gap to the top could be accounted for by a mediocre goal return of just 48 league goals, where all of the top six have scored more than 70. Top scorer is Ruel Sotiriou with 11 league goals with Shaq Forde on nine.
The reverse fixture produced what was at the time a shock result. City’s blistering start to the season saw them unbeaten when Leyton Orient travelled to Devon with just one win under their belt. However, with Vil Sinisalo and Ilmari Niskanen away with Finland, the Os came back from going behind 1-0 to Demetri Mitchell to win through Pigott and a late strike from Sotiriou. City’s last visit to Brisbane Road was in August 2021, and there was little sign that City would eventually win promotion as the hosts easily won 3-0 through Drinan, Beckles and Archibald, the latter scoring after Jonathan Grounds had been sent off for City. That win at the Park in September gave Leyton Orient the lead in league head to heads with 34 wins to City’s 33, 25 matches finishing level.
The match officials for this game will be:-
Referee: Scott Jackson
Assistant Referees: David Harrison and Stephen Brown
Fourth Official : Joseph Stokes
Scott Jackson last took charge of an Exeter game last October when we lost 1-0 to Barnsley at St James Park.