MATCHWATCH : Leyton Orient (a)

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday January 17 2025, 3pm
Where : Brisbane Road, Leyton, London, E10 5NF
Capacity : 9,271

Another trip to a ground that has been a real graveyard for Reading since relegation.

Leyton Orient are 18th in the table and generally struggling after losing Ethan Galbraith and loanee Charlie Kelman, who between them seemed to be firing them to the play offs last season. However they still have an air of difficult to beat about them and when you have the division’s 15th best away you struggle to take much confidence into these sort of games.

The good news is that this is possibly a good time to play Orient as their current league form is rather lacking being a run of 1 win and 2 draws in the last 7 games. Conversely the bad news is that Orient’s current league form is rather alarming being on a run of 1 win and 2 draws in the last 7 games which, as we are all very well aware from previous experiences, is prime AFC Reading Charity territory.

The especially tricky bit about the O’s is the current propensity toward putting former Reading players in their team with Charlie Wellens and Michael Craig stirring the mix,no doubt anxious to prove themselves against their former employers, but the biggest threat from this area will be ex-loanee Dominic Ballard who is one of the joint leading scorers (with Tolaj (Plymouth) & Salech (Cardiff)) in the division with 12 goals. Idris El Mizouni and Aaron Connolly are possibly the players to shut down though as they appear to provide the drive from midfield and have scored 12 between them.

Elliott and Lane are the senior injury problems for Reading but equally they’ve been missing for so long that their continued absence isn’t really seen as a problem any more. There’s no sign of any new faces being added to the squad either although the option remains if the club finds someone and has the money available, meanwhile Orient did sign defender Will Forrester from Bolton last week so they’re not slow in making changes.

Referee

Elliot Bell

Previously

13 Sep 25 > Barnsley 3-2 Reading

Historically

There have been 34 league games played at Brisbane Road between the clubs since they met there for the first time in December 1926 (lost 5-1). Reading have won just 7 of the 34 games and lost 17 so a Leyton Orient win would seem to be very roughly better than twice as likely as a Reading win.

Since relegation visits to this part of London have been a bit of a nightmare with 1 goal scored and 4 conceded and generally being well outplayed by the O’s on both occasions. The last win there was by 2-1 almost exactly 33 years ago as Reading went on to win promotion from the same level so if Reading could collect all 3 points here….

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and travel
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Ring/text a mate for updates
4. Use a RoyalsTV subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[WestYorksRoyal]

A good barometer of how much we really have turned the corner. It's the start of a long run of playing lower teams away and higher teams at home, and if the late play-off charge is really on, we should be seeking a win a strong run of results. But I wonder if we'll be talking about a dull mid table season come 5pm on Saturday.

There are no easy away games and it's a ground we have struggled at. Their last game was a handy draw at home to Cardiff, so they're not hopeless.

[Gunny Fishcake]

Last seasons game there was a dismal performance when we were well beaten, very hopefully of getting a rare win at Orient this time which is always a great away day, the hope is rising.