Needing a victory to guarantee a top-six finish in the League One table, Leyton Orient head to the John Smith’s Stadium to take on Huddersfield Town in the final game of the regular season on Saturday.
The visitors currently sit sixth but only lead seventh-placed Reading thanks to a goal difference which is eight goals stronger.
Match preview
Huddersfield Town head into the final game of their League One campaign on Saturday aiming to end a five-match losing run in what has been a dismal second half to the campaign.
Aiming to make an immediate return to the Championship having turned to Michael Duff over the summer, the Yorkshire outfit sat on 48 points from 25 outings in mid-January, but they have since added just 16 more points to that tally in 20 further attempts, winning just five of those games and losing 14.
A pair of defeats in early March spelled the end of Duff’s tenure, and interim boss Jon Worthington has been unable to inspire any improvement since, albeit with two wins from his first four matches at the helm keeping the Terriers in playoff contention on 64 points from 40 games.
They now head into the weekend on the back of five more consecutive defeats to drop away from the top-six fight and finish the term in mid-table, having most recently followed up a pair of losses over Easter weekend with a 3-1 away defeat to Exeter City last time out after leading in the first half through Josh Koroma.
Now left dejected following an underwhelming first season back in England’s third tier after last year’s relegation, Huddersfield Town will at least look to bow out with a home win on Saturday to finish on 67 points with the chance to climb up to eighth or ninth spots depending on other results.
Their visitors, meanwhile, head to the John Smith’s Stadium in desperate need for a win to seal their playoff place.
In what has been an impressive campaign under Richie Wellens, Leyton Orient have only overtaken Saturday’s hosts in recent weeks thanks to an eye-catching run which has seen them take pole position in the playoff race.
The O’s looked all but out of playoff contention after a tricky run between late February and early April, in which they earned seven points from nine matches to sit on 60 from 40 games, but they have since regained sixth spot with five straight victories.
After prevailing away at Mansfield Town and Crawley Town, Wellens’s men came out of the Easter weekend double-header with six points thanks to victories against Barnsley and Cambridge United, before they most recently hosted third-placed Wycombe Wanderers last time out and took another impressive three-point haul as Randell Williams netted the only goal around the hour mark.
Now sitting sixth with 75 points on the board, albeit only leading Reading thanks to a superior goal difference, Leyton Orient head into the final day knowing that a victory or any matching or bettering of Reading’s result will seal them a League One playoff place, aside from any major goal difference swing.
Team News
Huddersfield Town remain badly hit by injuries, with defenders Radinio Balker, Ruben Roosken, Tom Lees and Nigel Lonwijk continuing spells in the treatment room alongside attackers Danny Ward and Rhys Healey.
Callum Marshall will return to contention for the final game of his loan spell from West Ham United, though, after being suspended last time out, and he will hope to lead the line from the start having netted 10 goals for the Terriers this term.
He will have to compete with Joe Taylor and Dion Charles, while Herbie Kane, Antony Evans, David Kasumu, Joe Hodge and captain Jonathan Hogg, who is departing the club at the end of the season, will battle to feature in midfield.
Leyton Orient should field a similar starting XI from their latest victory over Wycombe Wanderers, with Theo Archibald, Jordan Graham, Dan Happe and Tom James remaining sidelined by injuries.
They do have a fresh concern, though, with Brandon Cooper having been forced off in that win, and if regular left-back Jack Currie again misses out, veteran Darren Pratley may have to deputise in a back four given the ongoing absences of Happe and James.
Charlie Kelman will continue to lead the line, having netted a league-high tally of 21 goals this term, while Randell Williams will continue on the wing after his crucial goal last time out, joining key men Jamie Donley and Dan Agyei in support of the lone front man.
Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:
Chapman; Sorensen, Pearson, Spencer, Eccleston; Kasumu, Hogg; Wiles, Kane, Koroma; Marshall
Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:
Keeley; Galbraith, Beckles, Edmonds-Green, Pratley; Clare, Brown; Williams, Donley, Agyei; Kelman
We say: Huddersfield Town 0-2 Leyton Orient
With confidence growing and momentum on their side, we back Leyton Orient to wrap up a playoff place with a sixth straight win against a Huddersfield Town side who have limped towards the end of the season since the turn of the year.
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