WANDERERS’ game at Leyton Orient has been given the provisional go-ahead.
A ‘precautionary’ pitch inspection was completed just after lunchtime with match officials happy that the pitch would be playable by tomorrow at 3pm when temperatures are expected to rise to around 6-7deg C.
There will be further checks tomorrow (Saturday) morning but Ian Evatt and his squad are now planning to travel down to their team hotel to begin preparations for the League One game.
A statement from the O's read: "Despite sub-zero temperatures in East London this week, the tireless work put into maintaining a suitable playing surface by Orient groundsman Colin James has ensured that the pitch was in playable condition at the time of the inspection.
"Frost covers were placed on the pitch early in the week and had only been removed for an Orient training session on Tuesday morning. The covers will remain on the pitch overnight, as the temperature is expected to drop overnight before an expected rise on Saturday morning."
Leyton Orient are undefeated in their last four games since a 3-2 defeat at Bolton in December, and have not conceded a goal during that time.
Richie Wellens’ side has moved up to 10th spot in the table, 15 points outside the play-off spots, and claimed the scalp of league leaders Portsmouth at Fratton Park last weekend.
The O’s are also well rested, with their win at Pompey their only competitive outing since New Year’s Day.
Evatt believes the game at Brisbane Road will be a stern test of his side.
“It is a big task,” he said. “And we have put a huge target on our back where everyone perceives us to have the best squad in the league – and if certain managers had my squad they’d apparently win the league. Well, OK, we’ll see.
“We will pay every single opposition team respect, of course we will, and we will have a specific plan in and out of possession for every team we come up against. But we want to focus on what we do, make sure those basics are right in every game because you can’t win anything without them, on top of that if we can add some quality we have a good chance in every game. It has to be our sole focus.”
Orient also gave Wanderers a scare in their December meeting, threatening to pull back a three-goal deficit and nearly doing so with the last kick of the game.
Evatt feels some lessons have been learned.
“They are a good side and in the last six we’re the only team to beat them,” he said. “Obviously the second half of the game didn’t go exactly how we would have wanted it to go. Having watched it back, though, I would say it was more self-inflicted than anything else, so we will have to put it right. Ricardo Santos was missing for that game as well and he is massive for us.
“We just need to have the right energy, attitude and mindset. If we play like we did against Luton, we’ll be a handful for anyone.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel