Barnsleyvs.Leyton Orient

The hosts moved within a point of sixth spot with a return to winning ways last weekend, while their visitors have climbed to 18th place with an improved run.

Match preview

Barnsley will bid to regain a League One playoff place on Saturday, having ended a five-match winless streak to arrest their slide down the table last time out.

The South Yorkshire outfit began their latest third-tier promotion bid under the new management of Darrell Clarke in relatively pleasing fashion this season, sitting in the top six on 25 points from 14 outings following back-to-back wins across late October and early November, but they would then hit a tough spell.

The next five outings produced just two more points for the Reds, culminating in consecutive losses to promotion-chasers Wrexham and Birmingham City to leave them four points behind sixth-placed Reading ahead of last weekend's trip to Exeter City.

Clarke's men were able to end their wait for an eighth league win of the season in that contest though, despite trailing 1-0 at the interval, as Kelechi Nwakali levelled the scores early in the second half and Davis Keillor-Dunn netted the decisive goal on the hour mark in a 2-1 triumph.

In their way stand a visiting side aiming to climb up the League One table and continue an upturn in form at the weekend.

Leyton Orient endured a tough start to the League One season, sitting on just 15 points from 16 outings at the beginning of December following a home defeat to Huddersfield Town, having only scored 14 goals in those games.

Richie Wellens's side appear to have turned a corner in recent weeks, though, improving on that attacking form while maintaining their impressive defensive record, initially bouncing back to winning ways by beating Bristol Rovers 3-0 before visiting Wigan Athletic and recording a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Jayden Sweeney and Diallang Jaiyesimi.

Then on the back of another 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic in the EFL Trophy, the O's most recently hosted Burton Albion last weekend and extended their unbeaten streak as the contest ended goalless.

While that draw did see them drop back down to 18th spot, Leyton Orient do now find themselves four games unbeaten having kept clean sheets on each occasion, with their tally of 20 goals conceded now only bettered by six sides in the division, and they will aim to keep building momentum and climb towards the middle of the table with a victory at Oakwell.

Barnsley League One form:

D

L

D

L

L

W

Barnsley form (all competitions):

L

D

L

L

L

W

Leyton Orient League One form:

W

D

L

W

W

D

Leyton Orient form (all competitions):

L

W

W

W

W

D

Team News

Barnsley will remain without injured defenders and Marc Roberts and Josh Earl and attacker Fabio Jalo on Saturday, but they will be boosted by the return of key midfielder Adam Phillips, who served a suspension last time out.

He could join Luca Connell and Kelechi Nwakali, who started and scored in Phillips's absence against Exeter City, in the engine room, while Conor McCarthy will continue to deputise in a back three alongside Donovan Pines and Mael de Gevigney.

Sam Cosgrove and Max Watters will compete for attacking spots, but Clarke may stick with the pair of Stephen Humphrys and Davis Keillor-Dunn, who moved level with Phillips at the top of their scoring charts on six goals for the season with the winner last weekend.

Richie Wellens has only made minimal changes to his Leyton Orient starting XI over the last three league outings, and we should see a similar setup on Saturday given the upturn in results.

Tom James, Omar Beckles, Dan Happe and Jayden Sweeney are bound to continue in a back four, having seen out back-to-back clean sheets, while Jordan Brown and Dominic Ball should again partner up in the midfield.

Dan Agyei should again lead the line over Charlie Kelman, having netted a team-high tally of nine goals so far this season, albeit with only three of those coming in League One.

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Killip; De Gevigney, Pines, McCarthy; O'Keefe, Phillips, Connell, Nwakali, Gent; Humphrys, Keillor-Dunn

Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:

Keeley; James, Beckles, Happe, Sweeney; Ball, Brown; Perkins, Donley, O'Neill; Agyei

We say: Barnsley 1-0 Leyton Orient

Written by

Sam Varley

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