Sports Mole previews Monday’s FA Cup clash between Tamworth and Leyton Orient, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
League One outfit Leyton Orient will be aiming to book their spot in the second round of the FA Cup when they make the trip to National League team Tamworth on Monday night.
Orient are currently 14th in the League One table, picking up 17 points from their opening 14 matches of the season, while the hosts are ninth in the National League table, claiming 25 points from 16 games.
Match preview
Tamworth have a record of seven wins, four draws and five defeats from their 16 matches in the National League this season, which has left them in ninth spot in the division on 25 points, two points off the playoffs.
The Lambs finished 10th in the National League last term, which represented an impressive campaign considering that they were a new team in the division, bring promoted from the National League North in 2023-24.
Andy Peaks’ side beat Hyde 1-0 in the qualification round for the FA Cup, and they have been in excellent form of late, with their home loss to Boston United last weekend their first defeat in any competition since September 9.
Tamworth have managed to reach the third round of the FA Cup on four previous occasions, including last season, but they have never been past round three.
The Lambs will be up against it on Monday against a team that plays two divisions higher, but a vocal home support could carry the National League side to a famous win.
Orient, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 success over Aston Villa Under-21s in the EFL Trophy on October 28, while they beat Lincoln City in their last league fixture.
The O’s have won four of their last five games in all competitions, and a total of 17 points from 14 matches has left them in 14th spot in the League One table.
Richie Wellens‘s side finished sixth in League One last season, making the playoffs and eventually reaching the final, but they were beaten 1-0 by Charlton Athletic at Wembley.
Orient are therefore still in League One, and they will be aiming to avoid what would be a shock elimination in the first round of the FA Cup on Monday night.
The team’s best performance in the FA Cup came back in 1977-78, when they managed to reach the semi-finals, losing 3-0 to Arsenal, who went on to suffer a 1-0 defeat to Ipswich Town in the final.
Tamworth FA Cup form:
W
Tamworth form (all competitions):
WDWWWL
Leyton Orient form (all competitions):
LWWLWW
Team News
Tamworth have not reported any injury concerns ahead of Monday’s clash, so head coach Peaks is set to have a strong squad to choose from, and the goals have been shared around this term.
Indeed, the joint-leading goalscorers in the squad are centre-back Kennedy Digie and centre-forward Manny Duku with four, and both are set to be in the starting side.
Beck-Ray Enoru has been another standout performer, scoring three times and registering two assists in 15 appearances, and the 23-year-old is also expected to feature from the first whistle.
As for Orient, head coach Wellens is expected to name a strong side on Monday night.
Aaron Connolly and Dan Ballard have both scored six times each this season, and the pair are set to feature in the final third of the field in the first round of the FA Cup.
Idris El Mizouni has three goals to his name this term and will also start, but there will be no Rarmani Edmonds-Green, with the defender out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.
Tamworth possible starting lineup:
Singh; Donkor, Digie, Hollis, Fairlomb; Mols, Bates, Milnes, Enoru; Tonks; Duku
Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:
Cahill; Craig, Beckles, Happe, James; Karoma, El Mizouni, Clare, Abdulai, Connolly; Ballard
We say: Tamworth 1-3 Leyton Orient
Tamworth are capable of making this a tricky match for Orient, and we are expecting the home side to give their supporters something to cheer. However, the away team’s additional quality should allow them to book their spot in the next round of the competition.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
No Data Analysis info
Previews by email
Click here to get Sports Mole‘s daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!
