Richie Wellens 'learned a lot' about Cobblers from Leyton Orient's defeat at the end of last season

Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens said he ‘learned a lot’ about the way Northampton play from his side’s 4-2 defeat against Jon Brady’s team at Brisbane Road at the end of last season.

Town ran riot in a rampant first-half display against mid-table Orient last April, racing into 3-0 and 4-1 leads before half-time through Josh Eppiah’s brace, a Mitch Pinnock screamer and a close-range finish from Jon Guthrie.

Things are different going into Saturday’s big game in the capital though, with the O’s flying high in second place in the Sky Bet League Two table, three points above their visitors and only two behind leaders Stevenage.

"We can’t wait for it,” said Wellens. “They were going for automatic promotion and we were going for nothing when we played them at the end of last season but now we are in this position with a full house, good away support and two teams fighting at the top of the table.

"It’s a really good game to be involved in against a good club, a club that, historically, whenever they drop into League Two, are always up there and in the mix for promotion so it’s a great game for us.

"I learned a lot from the game last season, especially the way they play. I went to watch them against Walsall last week and they are a really good team, physical with a lot of efficient players and in Sam Hoskins and Mitch Pinnock, they have two of the best wide men in the league.

"They will be a threat but we know that and if we keep our performance levels as they have been and keep our belief, we will be in a good place."

Orient themselves have been hit by illness this week and whilst Wellens did not name names, he suggested he will likely be forced into ‘two or three changes’ from last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Doncaster Rovers. Midfielders George Moncur and Idris El Mizouni both came off with injury during that game.