Leyton Orient vs Stockport predictions: Visitors can end Orient's winning streak
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- Leyton Orient won eight of their last 10 regular-season games to make the League One play-offs
- Stockport are targeting a third promotion in four years after finishing third in the table
- Recommended bet: Stockport to win
Leyton Orient and Stockport both come into the League One play-offs in great form, so Saturday's semi-final first leg at Brisbane Road should be a fascinating clash.
Stockport, last season's League Two champions, finished five points off the automatic promotion places in third place, while Orient ended up sixth after a strong finish to the campaign.
The O's won their last six matches, including a 1-0 home victory over fifth-placed Wycombe, and they are hoping to extend that hot streak in the play-offs.
Team news
Leyton Orient will be without injured defenders Dan Happe and Tom James. Jordan Graham and Theo Archibald are also long-term absentees for the O's and veteran midfielder Darren Pratley will be assessed after missing last weekend's win at Huddersfield.
Stockport centre-back Fraser Horsfall should return to the starting line-up, but Lewis Bate, Callum Camps, Nick Powell, Macauley Southam-Hales and Ben Hinchliffe are sidelined.
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The stats
Leyton Orient have won eight of their last 10 league matches, while none of Orient's nine home games against top-10 teams produced over 3.5 goals.
The O's have been leading at half-time in only one of their last six victories.
Stockport have been promoted three times in the last six seasons. The Hatters have lost only two of their last 21 league fixtures, while they have won and both teams have scored in four of their last five games.
Prediction
Leyton Orient surged into the League One play-offs thanks to a six-match winning run at the end of the regular season but they face a tough semi-final tie against Stockport.
The O's were helped by a decent set of fixtures as three of their wins came against bottom-eight teams and final-day hosts Huddersfield had nothing to play for.
Orient sealed sixth place in style, beating the Terriers 4-1, but Stockport have been one of the most consistent teams in the division despite only winning promotion from League Two last term.
County came up short in their pursuit of the second automatic-promotion place, finishing five points behind runners-up Wrexham.
However, like Orient, they finished the regular season in fine form, taking 22 points from the last 24 available and winning 3-1 away to fifth-placed Wycombe on the final day.
They lost 4-1 at home to the O's in September but won 1-0 at Brisbane Road in February and look a big price to claim a first-leg lead in east London.
Stockport had an excellent home record, winning 16 of their 23 matches on their own patch, but they have also triumphed in six of their last 11 away fixtures and can underline their promotion credentials on Saturday.
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