League Two leaders Leyton Orient will hope to return to winning ways when they travel to Wales to face Newport County on Friday.

Likewise, the hosts have not won either of their last two matches as they continue to languish in the bottom half of the table.

Match preview

Having replaced James Rowberry with Graham Coughlan in their managerial dugout in October, Newport have so far failed to see the improvement that they would have hoped for when making the change.

Eighteenth in the table at the time that Rowberry was relieved of his duties, that is exactly where the Exiles remained two months later after their draw against AFC Wimbledon on Boxing Day.

Coughlan will be encouraged by avoiding defeat against an in-form team in the division, though, particularly given that they have lost half of their league games so far this season.

Claiming something against the best team in League Two by a distance so far this season may prove to be a different test altogether when Leyton Orient arrive into the city on Friday, though.

Indeed, Richie Wellens has worked wonders with the U's since taking over in March earlier this year, having guided them away from danger last season before taking them to the top of the league this time around.

Their 0-0 draw against Stevenage on Tuesday kept them seven points clear of their nearest rivals in the table, and perhaps even more pertinently, a gigantic 16 points clear of fourth-placed Carlisle United in the first playoff spot.

As such, it would take an almighty collapse from this position for Orient not to be competing in League One next season, which is a level that they have not competed at since being relegated in 2015.

They even fell all the way to the National League in recent years, so Wellens will be keen to keep his players grounded despite the undoubtedly strong position that they find themselves in at the halfway stage of the campaign.

Team News

Coughlan may look to reintegrate Omar Bogle to his attack from the start against Leyton Orient on Friday, having only utilised him from the bench last time out.

The former Wigan Athletic man has bagged seven goals in 21 league starts this season and is generally Newport's greatest goal threat.

Wellens, on the other hand, may be content to go with the same starting XI which earned a share of the spoils against their potential title rivals Stevenage on Tuesday.

The former Doncaster Rovers midfielder may have the fact that his side have had 24 hours less rest in the back of his mind, though, so it would not be a surprise to see him turn to his bench at some stage.

Newport County possible starting lineup:
Day; Drysdale, Farquharson, Demetriou; Norman, Moriah-Welsh, Bennett, Waite, Lewis; Zanzala, Bogle

Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:
Vigouroux; Brown, Beckles, Happe, James; Pratley, Moncur, El Mizouni; Archibald, Kelman, Smyth

We say: Newport County 0-2 Leyton Orient

Leyton Orient have helped themselves to a comfortable lead at the top of League Two, and we can envisage them potentially extending that with a comfortable victory away to Newport on Friday.

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