Town are back on home soil this weekend after the longest trip of the season this past midweek and after a pair of late blows will be keen maintain their strong recent home form.
Town have won three and drawn one of their past five home games in all competitions, keeping four clean sheets, and will hope to use that as a springboard to overcome late goals that have proved costly away from home.Our opponents
The O's sit 16th in League Two, one place below Town but five points adrift. They come into the game on a 10-match winless run, having lost eight of those fixtures in all competitions.
On their travels they have won once in the EFL this season - back in mid-September - and have lost four of five, netting just once in the process.
Previous meetings
Earlier this season Town turned in what was arguably one of their strongest performances of the season, where a pair of first-half goals from Luke Armstrong secured a 2-0 away win.
A season ago goals from Dan Jones and Josh McPake earned Town a 2-2 home draw in response to the 3-0 away defeat earlier in 2020/21.
Ones to watch
A pair of summer signings have grabbed the headlines so far for the O's. Harry Smith, who arrived from Northampton and former Ipswich-man Aaron Drinan have hit 11 and 10 goals respectively.
Another summer arrival, Theo Archibald, has six assists to go with his four strikes.
Veteran Darren Pratley will anchor the midfield whilst keeper Lawrence Vigouroux has been an ever present between the sticks.
The club added former Tranmere and Walsall man Otis Khan in the January window as well as Dan Moss, Frank Nouble and George Ray, who all arrived in loan deals, but did see the influential Dan Kemp depart for MK Dons.
The man in charge
Kenny Jackett has been in the dugout for 25 seasons now, starting at Watford – who he made over 300 appearances for in his playing career – before moving to Swansea, Millwall, Wolves and Portsmouth, with a string of promotions to his resume.
Recent history
The 2021/22 season is the third consecutive season for the O's back in the EFL following a spell in the National League after relegation in the 2016/17 season which ended their 112-year stay in the Football League.
The O's are the second oldest football club in London and spent much of the immediate post-war years in the second tier, before bouncing between the third and fourth tiers in the 1990's and 2000's.
The club were to experience financial problems though in the mid-2010's and relegations in quick succession saw them fall out of the league before their return in 2019.
Team news
Town will once again be without defensive duo Rory McArdle and Lewis Richards as well as midfielder Simon Power. There is better news regarding Calum Kavanagh and Ryan Fallowfield though who are closing in on a return, while Lewis Page is expected to shake off the knock that forced him off on Tuesday night.