Preview: Leyton Orient v Barrow

16 April 2021

Take a look at everything you need to know ahead of Saturday's League Two meeting with Leyton Orient at The Breyer Group Stadium.

Leyton Orient v Barrow
Saturday 17^th April 2021, 12.30pm
The Breyer Group Stadium
Sky Bet League Two

In Opposition
Seven games without a win running from late January into February prompted Leyton Orient to make a change and Head Coach Ross Embleton left the Club to be replaced on an interim basis by Jobi McAnuff.

The popular McAnuff has inspired a positive reaction from the players and The O’s have tasted defeat just twice during his 14 games in charge so far.

That sequence of results, which has included a run of four successive wins, has lifted Orient right back into contention for the play-offs and they are just four points shy of the top seven ahead of this weekend’s meeting with Barrow.

It could be a potentially pivotal few days for Orient’s challenge with their encounter with The Bluebirds quickly followed by another test on home soil when Cambridge United visit on Tuesday.

After winning back their place in the EFL following a two-season stay in the National League, the East London outfit are now targeting a return to League One for the first time since 2015.

One To Watch
Danny Johnson will be hoping his recent return to the scoresheet will be something he can continue during the run-in as he looks to fire Leyton Orient into the League Two play-offs.

The 28-year-old front man was on fire in the opening weeks of the campaign, finding the net in eight of his first ten outings in all competitions.

A former Hartlepool United youngster who also played for Gateshead, Motherwell and Dundee, Johnson has struck 17 goals in League Two so far including three in his last four games.

Head To Head
Saturday’s encounter will be only the 13^th competitive meeting between the club and Orient have the slight edge having won five of the previous contests in comparison to Barrow’s three triumphs.

The clubs shared a division during The O’s two seasons in the National League, but Orient held the upper hand, and you have to go back to 1969 for Barrow’s last victory in this fixture.

On that occasion, two goals from George McLean gave Barrow a 2-1 win at Brisbane Road to back up their 3-1 success at Holker Street earlier in the 1968/69 campaign.

Referee
Christopher Sarginson will take charge of his third Bluebirds fixture of the season when he’s on the whistle for our trip to Leyton Orient.

The experienced official, who has been on the EFL’s list of referees since 2008, was in the middle for our 2-2 draw with Forest Green Rovers in November and our 1-0 win over Scunthorpe United in January.

Saturday will be his 30^th outing of the current campaign, with his most recent appointment coming at the end of March when he oversaw Gillingham’s 1-0 win over Wigan Athletic at Priestfield Stadium.

Betting
Leyton Orient have been installed as 6/4 favourites for three points this weekend, while Barrow are a 9/5 shot for victory in London and the draw is priced up at 21/10 with Sky Bet.

Click here now to take a look at Sky Bet’s range of odds on Saturday’s action.

Live Streaming
Match Passes to watch Monday’s game live on iFollow Barrow are now available – fans are reminded that Season Ticket holders do not get free access to away games.

We’re delighted that BBC Cumbria’s Adam Johnson is back behind the mic for our live stream of away games and this week he will be joined by guest summariser Mick Payne.

Fans in the UK can buy a Match Pass to watch the action now priced at £10, while overseas supporters pay £7.

Click here now to buy your Match Pass for this weekend’s game.

Live Commentary
We will also provide an audio commentary of Saturday’s game as BBC Radio Cumbria team, Adam Johnson and Mick Payne deliver coverage to fans all over the world via iFollow.

You can purchase an Audio Match Pass for £2.50, an Audio Monthly Pass for £4.49 or sign-up for Audio Season Pass which provides all live commentary and video news for just £45.

Click here now to subscribe to iFollow Barrow.

Match Reports

Barrow Beaten At Leyton Orient

17 April 2021

A photograph of Brad Barry in action for Barrow at Leyton Orient — Brad Barry on the ball during the game at Leyton Orient

Barrow’s four-game unbeaten run came to an end on Saturday afternoon as two second half goals from Leyton Orient consigned them to defeat at The Breyer Group Stadium.

The Bluebirds were once again competitive and gave as good as they got during an entertaining first half but Orient found a more clinical edge after the break and strikes from Dan Happe and Dan Kemp did the damage.

Barrow began the game well and were immediately on the front foot in the first couple of minutes before Orient fired back with a period of danger of their own during a frenetic opening.

The Bluebirds certainly hadn’t come to play for a point, and they attacked Orient again down the left on eight minutes when Patrick Brough’s low cross just failed to find Luke James’ run at the near post.

The home side responded with another good spell and Louis Dennis cut inside from the right to let fly with a shot on goal which was deflected wide of the near post.

Brad Barry then galloped forward down the right on to Quigley’s pass and sent a low cross into the front post but this time James could only stab wide under pressure from a defender.

Conor Wilkinson was looking a threat on the right for The O’s and he sent a testing deep cross into the far post which just evaded Dennis and dropped behind for a goal kick.

However, Wilkinson was back in possession moments later when this time he jinked his way into some space inside the Barrow box but his shot took a deflection and flashed wide.

From the resultant corner, Orient did have the ball in the Barrow net but a collision between home striker Danny Johnson and Bluebirds keeper Joel Dixon resulted in a free kick to the visitors.

The biggest chance came midway through the half when Chris Taylor whipped a brilliant corner in from the left and Ollie Banks timed his run perfectly to meet it with a powerful header, but it flew just wide of the near post.

Quigley saw a shot deflected wide after running away on the counter-attack following a brilliant ball from Tom Davies, while Orient came close when James Brophy cut inside from the left before curling an effort just too high.

Orient began the second half in more determined fashion and could have been in front when Dennis’ deep cross found Wilkinson, but his firm strike was parried away by Dixon.

However, The O’s were in the lead from the corner which was sent deep from the right and then headed back across the six-yard box where Dan Happe reacted quickest to force it into the net.

Orient doubled their advantage on 63 minutes when a lovely switch of play gave them space to work with on the right. Dan Kemp took full advantage, skating along the edge of the area before sending a low left-foot finish into the bottom right corner of the net for 2-0.

Rob Kelly gambled by throwing Calvin Andrew and Tom Beadling on in place of the two Taylors and Dimitri Sea wasn’t far behind as the young Frenchman entered the action too.

Beadling could have reduced the arrears when he did well to get on the end of ball in from the right, taking a decent first touch before sending a volley on goal which flashed just wide of the post.

Barrow continued to show heart towards the end and engineered a couple of half chances but could not find a route back into the game as Orient maintained their hopes of sneaking into the League Two play-off picture.

Full Time: Leyton Orient 2 Barrow 0

Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, Happe, Clay (McAnuff 63), Wilkinson, Kemp (Cisse 77), Brophy, Dennis (Freeman 63), Akinola, Turley, Kyprianou, Johnson (Abrahams 88).
Subs not used: Sargeant, Widdowson, Coulson.

Barrow: Dixon, Barry, Eardley, Brough, Thomas, Davies, J Taylor (Beadling 66), C Taylor (Andrew 66), Banks, Quigley, James (Sea 77).
Subs not used: Moloney, Brown, Wilson.

Booked: Brough.

Referee: Christopher Sarginson

Attendance: Behind Closed Doors