Lincoln City play their first game in 13 days on Friday, March 29, as they host Leyton Orient in SkyBet League One action.
A sold-out LNER Stadium awaits the Imps, as Michael Skubala’s side come into this game with the best form in the league.
They have scored 16 goals in their last three games and conceding just once, away to promotion-chasers Barnsley.
In their last game, City beat Bristol Rovers 5-0, thanks to a hat-trick from Joe Taylor, as well as goals from Reeco Hackett and captain Paudie O’Connor.
Opposition: Leyton Orient
The O’s currently sit tenth in League One, two points behind Friday’s hosts and five behind sixth-placed Oxford United. They too last played on March 13, with an early goal from former Imp Max Sanders enough to down Stevenage at the Lamex.
Orient have won three of their last six, having drawn one and losing two. The East London-based side have had a successful first season back in this division, having gained promotion through winning League Two last season.
Richie Wellens is the fourth longest-serving manager in League One, having been in charge for two years 17 days (at time of writing). Wellens was appointed Orient manager on March 9, 2022, after previous spells at clubs including Doncaster Rovers and Salford City.
Team News:
Ben House will return to the squad on Friday following a knock sustained against Cambridge. House missed the game against Bristol Rovers but has returned to training and is likely to play.
Speaking to BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Skubala said: “Ben is back in training today, we will see how he is in the next few days to see what part he can play, but I do expect he will be able to play some part.”
Ethan Erhahon will miss the sell-out match however, after receiving two yellow cards in the 5-0 win against The Gas.
Skubala said: “Ethan has been great for us this season, one of the challenges and bumps in the road is not having Ethan there. He has been natural in there all season so now we need to jiggle the midfield to see what we need against Leyton Orient.”
Alex Mitchell featured in the squad on March 16, having also sustained a knock against Cambridge, coming off as a precaution immediately.
Conor McGrandles, Tyler Walker, Lewis Montsma and Ethan Hamilton are the only four Imps currently on the side-lines, with them all ruled out for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.
The O’s, however, currently sit with a clean bill of health in their squad.
That being said, three players will have to be careful, as Brandon Cooper and Dan Happe both currently sit on four yellow cards. Idris El Mizouni is the other player at risk of suspension, having been booked nine times already this season.
Head-to-Head:
This season, the two sides have already played each other twice, due to an emergency in the crowd after Leyton Orient fan Derek Reynolds fell ill in the stands.
Leyton Orient were leading 1-0 before the match was abandoned, and in the replayed fixture Lincoln came out 1-0 victors.
Overall, Lincoln City have won 20 of the 60 meetings, with 22 in favour of Leyton Orient and 18 draws between the sides. Before this season, the last meeting was in April 2006, where the two teams played out a 1:1 draw in League Two action.
Played for Both:
Two Leyton Orient players were at Lincoln City directly before their on-going spells in Brisbane Road.
Theo Archibald spent one full season at Lincoln, playing just seven games before being loaned out to the O’s. He has since spent a loan spell in East London, before moving permanently before the start of the 2022/23 season, where he has scored six goals in 40 games.
The other is Max Sanders. The midfielder joined Lincoln in February 2021, and went on to play 57 games over a two-and-a-half-year period. Sanders was not named in Lincoln City’s list of retained players in May 2023, leaving the club on a free transfer. He has featured 23 times for Leyton Orient so far this season.
Follow LincSport on Twitter/X for coverage of Lincoln City vs Leyton Orient on Friday, 29 March.