Dave Challinor's Stockport County are set to host Richie Wellens's Leyton Orient at Edgeley Park in League One on Saturday.
The home side are fifth with 11 points after five matches, while the visitors are 22nd with three points from their five games so far this season.
Match preview
© Imago
After winning League Two in 2023-24, Stockport County are embarking on a remarkable season in League One, especially considering they were a National League side as recently as 2021-22.
Challinor's team are unbeaten in League One so far this term, and have managed three wins and two draws, a record that sees them currently in the promotion playoff spots.
Last time out in the league, Stockport drew 1-1 with Crawley Town, a match in which they had just 37% possession yet still managed to take an early lead and produce more efforts on goal than their opposition throughout the match.
Across the first five games of their league campaign, The Hatters have scored nine goals and conceded just two, meaning that just six teams have netted more often, and no team has a better defensive record than Challinor's side in League One.
This defensive resilience was also seen in League Two last season, when Stockport secured the title with the second-best defensive record.
© Imago
Meanwhile, visitors Leyton Orient have struggled so far this term, and their record of four losses and one singular victory from their opening five games has positioned them in the relegation zone early in the season.
The Os are just two points above last-placed Cambridge United ahead of this weekend's clash, and will be desperate to pick up points to stabilise during what is just their second consecutive season back in League One.
Having scored a mere three goals this season so far, it is fair to say that Wellens's side have found it difficult in front of goal, and only fellow strugglers Bolton have scored fewer.
With that being said, Leyton Orient have conceded the least goals of the teams in the bottom four, though just seven clubs have conceded more often across the league.
More positively, The Os did manage to win their most recent league clash against Reading 1-0 on September 14, and will hope to use this as a source of optimism ahead of the weekend.
- W
- W
- W
- D
- D
- W
- W
- D
- W
- D
- W
- L
- L
- L
- L
- W
- L
- W
- L
- L
- W
- L
Team News
![Richie Wellens is managing Leyton Orient during the Sky Bet League 1 match between Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient at The Valley in London, on August 17, 2024 [on August 25, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/34/richie-wellens.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Richie Wellens is managing Leyton Orient during the Sky Bet League 1 match between Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient at The Valley in London, on August 17, 2024 [on August 25, 2024]")
© Imago
Stockport's Tayo Adaramola was substituted off due to an injury in the 72nd minute of his side's match against Crawley Town on September 14, and is a doubt for Saturday's clash.
Callum Connolly could come into the team in place of the wing-back, and could form part of a back five that includes centre-backs Tyler Onyango, Fraser Horsfall and Ethan Pye.
Meanwhile, Leyton Orient will be without centre-back Jack Simpson, who was sent off during his side's defeat against Brentford in the EFL Cup on September 17.
Centre-back Daniel Happe is also a doubt due to injury, and this could lead to the inclusion of defender Omar Beckles and Brandon Cooper as central defenders in the starting lineup.
Stockport County possible starting lineup:
Addai; Onyango, Horsfall, Pye; Touray, Camps, Norwood, Connolly; Collar, Wootton, Barry
Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:
Hemming; James, Beckles, Cooper, Currie; Brown, Clare; O'Neill, Galbraith, Agyei; Kelman
We say: Stockport County 2-0 Leyton Orient
Stockport County's defensive record is particularly strong, and considering Leyton Orient's attacking difficulties, the away side are unlikely to pose much of a threat.
Additionally, given the fact that Stockport have scored three times as many goals this season as The Os, the hosts can be expected to take all three points on Saturday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
