ORIENT boss Martin Ling claims that he won't be relying on best friend and Northampton boss Colin Calderwood to help guarantee the Londoners promotion this weekend, writes Peter King.

The Cobblers, who have already secured their own promotion, face fourth-placed Grimsby, who slipped out of the automatic places after managing only a draw against Macclesfield on Saturday.

That result allowed the O's to move back up to third, ahead of their winner-takes-all match at Oxford United, who must secure maximum points to have any chance of avoiding relegation from the Football League.

Reflecting on events, Ling said: "I knew that there would be a few more twists, and at least events are in our own hands now.

"I will probably be on the phone to Colin Calderwood before the weekend wishing him well to beat Grimsby on Saturday, but it really is all about what we do.

"We know that a win will be good enough to take us up, although Oxford are fighting for their lives so it won't be easy.

"It doesn't get much bigger than that and I know that we are likely to sell out of the 4,000 tickets they have given us, so I'm sure there will be a great atmosphere.

"We know what we have got to do and I'm sure tensions and nerves will be running high.

"I think my heart will only take one more game this season, so I hope we don't have to go into the play-offs now."