The packed Easter fixture list is upon us, Swindon Town take Leyton Orient on Easter Monday with the return of a familiar face and the messiah of the 2019-20 to the opposition dugout.
Just when you thought it was over after last Saturday disappointing defeat to Newport County, Swindon Town pulled off a very impressive away win at a struggling Harrogate Town and now have cut the gap to seventh place to two points. Tranmere Rovers and Newport County both dropped points on Easter Friday which made the win away at Harrogate more important.
On the performance it was a win that was needed, it looked like Ben Garner had switched the formation a little when Swindon Town had the ball. In defence it looked like a 4-3-3 but in attack it looked like a loped sided 3-5-2 with Rob Hunt tucking in and playing as a right centre back. Mandela Egbo playing as the right wing back with Joe Tomlinson on the other side. Louie Barry coming in off the left and partnering Josh Davison up front
The switch worked as Mandela Egbo was outstanding on his first start for the club and caused a lot of problems down the right-hand side. Played a part in the opening two goals with pinpoint accuracy for Louie Barry to net a second double of the season. The win did come at a cost as Rob Hunt picked up an injury in the dying embers of the game and was pictured on crutches after the game.
It was confirmed that Rob Hunt will miss the game due to injury and will have a scan on his injury. Harry McKirdy will train tomorrow and could feature on Monday against Leyton Orient.
Predicted line up
4-3-3
Wollacott, Egbo, Conroy, Baudry, Tomlinson, Reed, Gladwin, Iandolo, Payne, Barry, Davison
Leyton Orient are the visitors to SN1 on Monday afternoon, Richie Wellens side are in fourteenth position in the league two table with fifty-two points from forty-two games. As he said in his post-match interview after the Scunthorpe game his side have nothing to play for which is a shame as in the reverse fixture in early December, Leyton Orient played some brilliant football and won the game 4-1 and were flying high and had aspirations of a play off push.
Kenny Jacket was the manager then and Leyton Orient were just outside of the play off push. But after the reverse fixture, Leyton Orient went on a horrible ten game winless run which included two draws and eight defeats. After a 2-0 home defeat on the 22nd February 2022 against Bristol Rovers Kenny Jacket was sacked.
Richie Wellens a former Swindon Town manager and the man who took the club back to League one in the curtailed 2019/20 season was appointed in early March and has steadied the ship. Five wins from nine has propelled Leyton Orient from 20th to 14th in the League Two standings. Leyton Orient form in the last six games with Richie Wellens in charge has been impressive. Four wins and two defeats from six games. The two defeats were a 2-0 away defeat to Oldham Athletic who are fighting for survival and a 1-0 away defeat at Sutton United who are pushing for promotion. The four wins have come against Harrogate Town, Rochdale, Barrow and on Friday a 3-0 win over Scunthorpe United which condemned the visitors to relegation out of the EFL.
By Scot Munroe