Leyton Orient vs Colchester United preview - Orient low on numbers

Posted Friday, September 12, 2014 by PA

Leyton Orient have a host of absentees for the visit of Colchester.

Boss Russell Slade has seen his midfield depleted by injuries to Dean Cox (knee) and Lloyd James (thigh), while Romain Vincelot is suspended following his red card against Peterborough in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy last week.

Full-back Gary Sawyer will also miss out with tendonitis while striker Kevin Lisbie is a long-term absentee with a shoulder injury.

Slade was at least able to boost his squad this week with the signing of teenage winger Michael Petrasso on a month's loan from QPR, and he could be in line for an immediate debut.

Tony Humes will be looking to build on last week's goalless League One draw at Walsall when taking charge of his second match as Colchester boss.

The U's ended a run of five straight defeats and kept their first clean sheet of the campaign in that stalemate, following the departure of Joe Dunne.

"We worked on tightening a few things up and the lads got their just rewards for a good effort," Humes told the club website. "They put in a real shit on a hot day and we now just need a bit more belief."

David Wright, who returned to the squad for the first time this term and came off the bench in that game, will be pushing for a starting role along with Craig Eastmond, who was an unused substitute, but Tosin Olufemi is still out with a ruptured Achilles tendon.