BIG MATCH PREVIEW: Leyton Orient v Mansfield Town '“ Saturday, 27th 2016

Hot on the heels of a long trip to an unhappy hunting ground for Mansfield Town at Plymouth Argyle last weekend is a long trip to an unhappy hunting ground at Leyton Orient this Saturday.

Mansfield have lost their last six outings to Brisbane Road and their only three wins there came in 1999/2000, 1996/97 and 1937/38.

Once again Adam Murray’s men will go down on Friday and try to prepare correctly for a tough game against a side expected to go up this season and sitting fourth.

Boss Adam Murray has already said this week that the pressure is on the O’s after they missed out last time around.

“They can’t fail this season,” he said. “The position they are in as a club, they put a lot of resources into it. They are a big club and they have to go up this season.

“These are two of the toughest away games and we get them out of the way early.

“I think if we are fresh and we are on it we are good enough to beat anyone in this league. We have got to go there with that mindset. We’ve got to go there to win the game.

“That focus to go and win can sometimes leave you a little bit vulnerable. When you go to these big club you have got to be a little bit more secure in your thinking. But at the same time you have to pose a threat.”

Click HERE to read a Plymouth v Stags match report

Click HERE to read a Grimsby v Leyton Orient match report

Click HERE to read Ollie Palmer’s thoughts on the game

STAGS TEAM NEWS

With a small squad, Adam Murray has not had the best of starts injury-wise with Jack Thomas, Krystian Pearce, Pat Hoban, Scott Shearer and Chris Clements already queuing out of the physio’s room.

Thomas has no chance with his groin strain, Pearce and Hoban are back training after pre-season knocks but would be unlikely to start, Shearer is recovering from concussion a week last Saturday and is being monitored daily while Clements complained of a sore hamstring after the Plymouth defeat, though completed the game.

To make matters worse striker Danny Rose is sitting out the second of his three game ban for his red card against Yeovil last week.

Murray would love to give veteran striker Darius Henderson a start, but he has been short on fitness since joining the club.

However, he came through a full half at Plymouth and caused problems. He may be worth a start at Orient and play on until he is spent.

POSSIBLE STAGS STARTING XI

Shearer; Bennett, Howkins, Collins, Benning; Chapman; Mitch Rose, Clements, Hurst; Henderson, Green.

ORIENT TEAM NEWS

Despite the recent departure of Armand Gnanduillet and speculation around last season’s top scorer Jay Simpson, manager Andy Hessenthaler has juggled his squad around in a bid to find his best 11.

Just four League games into the new season and there are only five players who have started all the matches – goalkeeper Alex Cisak, defenders Yvan Erichot, Tom Parkes and Sandro Semedo, plus forward Gavin Massey.

The prolific Simpson has made just one start this season, against Stevenage, and missed Saturday’s win at Grimsby with a back problem on a day when the O’s boss could only field six substitutes.

But the inspirational Dean Cox is fit after missing much of last and O’s are likely to field much the same side that beat the Mariners last weekend, with summer signing Jason Bowery and former Stag Ollie Palmer battling for a place up front.

Palmer came off to bench to score against another of his former clubs Grimsby last weekend and will be hoping he did enough to win a starting place at the weekend.

POSSIBLE ORIENT STARTING XI

Cisak, Hunt, Parkes, Erichot, Semedo, Massey, Atangana, Kelly, Cornick, Cox, Palmer.

KEY BATTLE: TOM PARKES v MATT GREEN

If Sutton-in-Ashfield-born Tom Parkes, a summer signing from Bristol Rovers, can keep Mansfield’s goal ace Matt Green quiet and negate the visitors’ goal threat then the O’s will be confident that they can go on and win the game.

With plenty of attacking options Orient have scored six League goals this season and even managed two against Fulham in the EFL Cup.

The only time they have failed to score was in their 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Newport County.

Centre half Parkes, who began his career with Leicester City, made 190 appearances for the Pirates in four years after loans at Yeovil and Burton and last year helped Rovers into League One.

Click HERE to see a recent interview with Parkes on joining Orient

ORIENT ONE TO WATCH: DEAN COX

Cox will be looking to rediscover the form that has earned him cult status at the club during his six-year stay at the O’s.

The diminutive midfielder was signed by ex-boss Russell Slade in June 2010 and the 29 year old has played 226 league games, netting 45 goals and is the only survivor from the League One Play-off Final defeat at Wembley in 2014.

Cox missed much of last season through injury, but has featured in the last four games and has the ability to win matches on his own.

He has scored some spectacular strikes during his time at the O’s, including one from inside his own half at Walsall, but also creates numerous opportunities for his team-mates with his crosses and dead ball kicks.

Click HERE to see Cox score from his own half against Walsall

OPPOSITION CARETAKER MANAGER: ANDY HESSENTHALER

Andy Hessenthaler joined the O’s during the summer of 2015 as Ian Hendon’s assistant on a two-year deal, before becoming caretaker manager on January 18, 2016 and reverting to the assistant manager role following the appointment of Kevin Nolan as player-manager.

The move to the Matchroom Stadium brought an end to Hessenthaler’s third spell at Gillingham, where he had enjoyed roles as a player, manager and director of football since first joining the club in 2000.

Hessenthaler, who appointed Hendon as his assistant at Gillingham back in 2010, also managed Dover Athletic for three years from 2007-2010 in between two separate spells as Gills boss.

The 51-year-old became caretaker manager once again when Kevin Nolan was relieved of his duties with five games of last season remaining, before signing a one-year deal to become O’s boss in June.

Click HERE to see an interview with Hessenthaler after the recent win over Stevenage

ORIENT SEASON SO FAR

Orient go into Saturday’s game sitting in fourth place, just two points behind the surprise early leaders Morecambe, who started the season as the bookies’ favourites to go down!

But bright starts are nothing new in E10 as last season the O’s stormed to the top of the table as they reeled off five straight wins, before drifting down the division and finally ending in eighth place, six points adrift of the play-off places.

Manager Andy Hessenthaler has made some astute summer signings, with midfielder Robbie Weir ending a four-year stint at Burton Albion to move to the capital and take the captain’s armband.

Other notable captures include fellow midfielder Liam Kelly from Oldham Athletic and Colchester United’s Gavin Massey, who made an instant impression scoring just three minutes into his debut at Cheltenham Town.

Defensive recruits include Callum Kennedy from AFC Wimbledon, Tom Parkes from Bristol Rovers and youngster Josh Doherty from Watford, while Yvan Erichot gives the rearguard an international flavour - a Frenchman arriving from Belgian side St Truiden.

However, Stags fans may be more familiar with striker Jordan Bowery, who has joined from Oxford United while Harry Cornick has been signed on loan from Premier League side Bournemouth to give the side more width.

The O’s started with six debutants in their campaign opener at newly-promoted Cheltenham and earned a creditable draw against a side who had lost just once at home in the National League the previous season and needed a goal from substitute Billy Waters to rescue a point 14 minutes from time.

The optimism of the opening day result dimmed when the O’s were beaten by a solitary goal at home to Newport County the following weekend, but two successive victories against Stevenage (3-0) and Grimsby (2-1) have lifted the side into fourth place and after two seasons of turmoil club president Francesco Becchetti will be looking for success this time around.

LAST MEETING

Saturday, 30th April 2016: Leyton Orient 1, Mansfield Town 0

Mansfield, with the play-off places now beyond them, suffered their first defeat in five games as former Stag Ollie Palmer’s eighth goal of the season saw Leyton Orient squeeze out a narrow victory at Brisbane Road in April, crowing a fine individual peformance.

Click HERE to read a match report

Click HERE to see video highlights of the game at Brisbane Road.

GROUND AND TICKETS

POSTCODE: E10 5NF

East London ground Brisbane Road, currently referred to as the Matchroom Stadium, and originally known as Osborne Road, has been the home ground of Leyton Orient since 1937, before which it was the home of amateur football team Leyton FC.

The ground is named after Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn’s sports promotion company, Matchroom Sport and its all-seated capacity is 9.271.

The club registered an interest into moving into the nearby Olympic Stadium following the 2012 Olympics, but the size of the eventual capacity saw them drop out of the running.

To drive to Leyton Orient, leave the M25 at Junction 27 and take the M11 towards London.

At the end of the motorway keep in the right hand lane and follow the signs for the North Circular A406 (W).

At the bottom of the flyover where the roads merge, move into the left-hand lane for the A104.

At the roundabout turn left onto the A104 towards Leytonstone. After about one mile at the next roundabout take the second exit continuing on the A104 towards Walthamstow & Leyton.

Half a mile further on, turn left at the traffic lights into Leyton Green Road (signposted to Leyton Leisure Lagoon & Lea Valley Sports).

Continue along this road and as you reach a large elevated block of flats on your right turn left into a short slip road that runs past the bus garage and then left into Leyton High Road (you’ll see the Leyton Leisure Lagoon in front of you as you wait to make the turn).

Continue along Leyton High Road passing the Leyton Midland Road overground station.

After passing a Jet Garage and as the High Road bears around to the left then the ground is beyond the High Road to the right.

Take the most suitable right hand turn (as some have vehicle restrictions) and they will take you down towards the stadium.

Be careful with your street parking as some areas are now resident permits only.

An allocation of 242 East Stand tickets for the game at Orient are on sale at One Call Stadium until 3pm on Friday.

The tickets are £22 adults, £14 concessions and $5 U18s, with adults having to pay £24 on the gate on the day.

Concessions apply to over 65s, students with valid ID, current serving members of the Armed Forces with proof of affiliation and the unemployed with proof of benefit receipt.

Wheelchair users and their carers will be admitted in to the Matchroom Stadium free of charge.

However, they must reserve their seats in advance by calling Leyton Orient on 0871 310 1883. Ambulant disabled supporters and their carers are also permitted free of charge (providing they are claiming disability living allowance at the middle or higher rate or equivalent PIP). These tickets can be booked at the Mansfield Town ticket office.

Supporters can purchase their tickets from the Mansfield Town ticket office on Quarry Lane, either in person or over the telephone on 01623 482 482.

Don’t forget to read the match report at www.chad.co.uk after the game.

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