PREVIEW | Leyton Orient vs Stockport County - team news, lineups, predictions

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·8 May 2025

PREVIEW | Leyton Orient vs Stockport County - team news, lineups, predictions

Leyton Orient and Stockport County face each other this Saturday at Brisbane Road in the first leg of the two sides' EFL League One play-off semi-final.

Orient secured their place in League One's knockout phase with a comprehensive 1-4 win over Huddersfield Town in their final fixture of the regular season, while Stockport recorded a third straight win with an impressive 1-3 success at Wycombe Wanderers.

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Both sides enter the clash in white-hot form, The O's with six straight Ws next to their name and a high-octane encounter looks in store.

The two previous meetings between the sides this season have seen them record one victory apiece. Orient thumped Stockport 4-1 last September, but the Hatters avenged that loss with a 1-0 win in east London this February.

The Fan Zone

Steve Nussbaum (Orient Outlook Podcast): A massive game awaits at Brisbane Road on Saturday as the O’s welcome Stockport County for our first leg play off tie.

It’s been an amazing end to the season for the O’s who went on an unbeaten six game run to secure sixth place in League One after we were seemingly out of the play off race. However, the Orient are made of stronger stuff these days and as Super Richie Wellens says, ‘we aren’t little Leyton Orient anymore’.

Credit must go to Richie for navigating the squad through a season of injuries and getting the best not only out of his players, but the fans as well. What he has achieved in his three years at the club is a phenomenal achievement and there is no doubt he is destined to manage at a higher level in the near future with or without Leyton Orient.

We have the management and the players at the club who are ready to step up, but most importantly perhaps we have the momentum which is vital during a play off run. There is a real sense of belief and hope around the O’s and why shouldn’t we believe, maybe the time is now for Leyton Orient?

There is no doubt that Stockport County will be very tough opponents, as they are easily one of the best teams we had visit us at Brisbane Road. We beat them at their place, they beat us at ours, so it’s been pretty even between us. It’ll be an amazing atmosphere on Saturday, two proper clubs who not so long ago were featuring in The National League now going head to head for a place at Wembley and a crack at the Championship.

Whatever happens it won’t be decided on Saturday, we’ll only be at the half way stage and knowing the O’s there could be a few twists and turns over the 180 minutes against Stockport County, but as always, it’s ever important to Keep Calm & Listen to The Orient Outlook Podcast!

Prediction: 1-0

Daniel Culverwell (The Scarf Bergara Wore): It's never dull being a County fan over recent years and we were only celebrating being crowned National League North champions 6 years ago.

County enter the play offs in great form and have built up a self belief and resilience that even if they go a goal or two behind they have the belief to turn it around and get a positive result.

Saying that, the nerves and sense of jeopardy are already banging away in my head 72 hours before kick off, why do we football fans put ourselves through this torture?

This first leg play off has the potential to be a classic first leg stalemate, but I do feel we may get a goal fest of a game with goal scorers and match winners on both teams and two of the best tactical managers in the entire EFL.

I've gone for a 2-2 draw with County coming back from behind. The team and shape of County from the first minute to the 90th minute has the potential to change around six times with Dave Challinor, as the County manager is not afraid to make changes early in shape or even make three tactical substitutions at half time if the game is not going the way he wants it. We can rotate from 3 to 4 to 5 at the back and will have formations for in possession and without the ball. Challinor also likes his lopsided formation when playing four at the back, which allows one of his full backs to be more advanced and attacking to leave three at the back.

What won't change is the influence that Ollie Norwood will have in the centre of the pitch and as the season has progressed and the bigger the games have become, the better he has been. His ability to spray the ball 30-40 yards to the feet of a fellow County player has been a joy, but it his willingness to always show for the ball and receive it when marked that carries the hallmarks of a former Premier League player.