- Harborough Town are winless in 4 away (D1, L3), conceding 6 goals in those trips.
- Leyton Orient have won 2, drawn 1 and lost 2 of their last 5, while Harborough have won 2, drawn 2 and lost 1 of their last 5.
- Dempsey Arlott-John has scored 2 of the 5 Harborough Town goals in the last 5 matches, making him the Bees' sharpest recent attacking threat.
Big O’s must pass Harborough test
The O's enter this first-round FA Cup tie with the National League North 2026 side Harborough Town as a 33/100 favourite, but the visitors are a huge 137/20 here and the draw is a hefty 17/4. This tie has all the makings of a classic giant-killing story, but the odds suggest Orient will glide through.
Richie Wellens has done a great job since taking over in March 2022, making the O's a possession-based side that press with intensity and discipline, but they've also become somewhat predictable and easy to break through on their flanks. They have won 3 and lost 4 of their 7 home matches across all competitions, so Brisbane Road has been a positive for them, despite the defeats.
Leyton Orient have scored 1.43 and conceded 1.43 goals per-game at home across all competitions so far this season, so they aren't always watertight but they're more reliable than their form suggests at home. Harborough Town are coming off a 3-0 defeat to Buxton in their most recent away game, so they know this is a step up.
Both managers will set up to win
Wellens' 4-2-3-1 formation sets up a strong central presence, but will also require the full backs to be involved in the play. Harborough Town boss Mitch Austin will want his side to be compact and tough to break down, but with a 4-2-3-1 of their own that has the potential to create space on the counterattack.
Both sides will want to win and they have the kind of personnel to make that happen, but Orient's sustained pressure and possession will surely see them into the next round. Harborough Town can make this tricky, but they don't have the quality to stay level or go a goal up at any stage of the game. With Over 2.5 goals at 21/50 and Both Teams To Score - Yes at 18/25, we'll go with the home win and over 2.5 goals as the cleanest angle.
