Preview: Oldham v Orient (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Leyton Orient hope to continue away form at Oldham Athletic

8:10am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Sport By Matt Bass

Weather permitting, Orient hit the road again this weekend as they look to avenge another defeat from earlier in the campaign.

The Boundary Park surface faces a pitch inspection later today and should it be deemed playable, Russell Slade's men will look to continue their impressive recent away form.

Since the O’s nine-game unbeaten run came to an end at Sheffield Wednesday at the end of November, Slade’s side have played away four times, winning on three occasions.

Taking the loss at Carlisle out of the equation, that record makes for decent reading when you consider the opposition.

Notts County had lost just once at home in the league prior to the visit of the O’s; Preston came into the game off an impressive home win the week before; while Stevenage are still well in the promotion chase.

However, if Orient are to return home with another three points from their travels, they will need to overcome historical form.

The E10 club’s last success at Oldham came in an FA Cup tie in January 1986, while their last league win at the Latics was in November 1980.

What the O’s do have in their favour is recent form.

Despite some disappointing displays at home, Slade’s men are still riding high in the form table, while Athletic have struggled.

Paul Dickov has seen his side pick up just one league win in the last two months – that being a 3-2 success on New Year’s Eve.

When the two sides met in September, George Porter’s first career goal put the hosts in the driving seat but the strength of the visitors meant they always looked a threat.

The deadly front pairing of Shefki Kuqi and Reuben Reid replied for Athletic before a late Matt Smith effort condemned the O’s to their seventh league defeat of the season.