Leyton Orient boss Ross Embleton is expecting a tough game against Bristol Rovers tonight but insists the game will be taken seriously.
The two teams meet at the Mem tonight in the EFL Trophy last 32 and Embleton says he wants to use the game as an opportunity to pick up some form for their league games.
Rovers beat Swindon Town to finish top of their group in the competition, whereas Orient got through after Southend United beat Wimbeldon in their group.
The Gas will be confident of securing a result at home tonight, with the O's labouring at 19th in League Two, but may find it difficult to prepare for the tie due to Orient's constant rotation.
Embleton made nine changes in his last game against Southend, but says this doesn't mean his squad aren't taking things seriously.
He said: "We’ve taken it serious. People will shoot that down because we made nine changes against Southend and eight or nine against AFC Wimbledon.
"The reason and rationale behind making those changes was to give people opportunities, to give players minutes who hadn’t had them and to bring people back to a level of fitness that we need.”
He has also said he is expecting a tricky encounter at the Mem and has praised Rovers for their early season form.
He said: “It’s going to be a tough game. They’re a team in good form and in a good place in the league right now, so we know that’s it’s going to be a tough challenge to go there.
We will be putting every effort in to prepare properly for that.
"We’re happy that we’ve got through to the next round, although it didn’t look like that opportunity was going to come about.
"We need to grab that with both hands and look at that game against Bristol Rovers as a real opportunity to nail down things that we can take into league games.”
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