Games are coming thick and fast for Bristol Rovers as the festive season nears, with the Gas facing Leyton Orient in the Leasing.com Trophy on Wednesday.
Graham Coughlan's side take on the struggling O's at the Mem in the second round of the competition, with victory putting them within three wins of a Wembley final.
But Coughlan is expected to rotate his squad with a pile up of games awaiting Rovers over the next month, which has only worsened with Sunday's FA Cup tie with Plymouth Argyle going to a replay.
Orient are 19th in League Two after securing promotion from the National League under late manager Justin Edinburgh – who died in June after suffering a cardiac arrest – last season.
To get the inside line on Orient, we spoke to Archant London sports reporter Jacob Ranson.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter @JacobRanson27 .
Obviously it has been a very difficult time for Orient following the tragic death of revered manager Justin Edinburgh. How has the club and the fans dealt with such a desperate situation?
The club has dealt with the situation exceptionally, but of course it has been a tough season so far as it was a huge loss and hard to replace Justin, although Ross Embleton has brought some stability and the O’s just need to find their feet back in the Football League.
The O's look like they're in a dreadful run of form, with four defeats in five league games. Have there been any signs in recent weeks that they will turn it around?
It’s a strange period for the O’s as they brought in Carl Fletcher, who oversaw a bad run of fortunes after Ross guided them to three wins prior to that, but now he is back in charge he is trying to restore that form. No signs as of that yet, but the squad is slowly getting back to full fitness.
Carl Fletcher was sacked in November after less than a month in charge. How has that decision gone down with supporters, and what do they make of interim boss Ross Embleton?
The majority of the Orient supporters were pleased to see the back of Fletcher due to being knocked out of the FA Cup by Isthmian North outfit Maldon & Tiptree along with bad results in the league and what most saw as terrible interviews with the media.
How important is success in the Leasing.com Trophy to the club and its fans?
I wouldn’t say it’s very important to the fans, although any win would be appreciated by most at this point in time, and will be seen as a step in the right direction for the league form.
How are Orient likely to set up?
They have changed formation a few times this campaign especially in the trophy. I would imagine they’ll want to get attacker Lee Angol on the pitch to regain fitness while also handing a chance to either youngster Ruel Sotiriou or James Alabi – meaning they may opt for a simple 4-4-2.
Who are the main threats Rovers need to be wary of?
Lee Angol looked terrific, but suffered an injury, and has been sorely missed so he will be expected to start producing now he’s back fit and available.
Any injury news?
Jobi McAnuff is still out injured. Joe Widdowson and James Dayton could miss out too.
What is your prediction for the game?
3-1 to Bristol Rovers
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