The East London side have been the pacesetters since the beginning of the season, and are currently four points clear of second placed Stevenage with a game in hand, and nine ahead of third placed Northampton, both of whose games have already been called off on Saturday although no problems are envisaged at Brisbane Road, which staged a WSL game between Tottenham and Everton on Wednesday.

Northampton are one of only two teams to have avoided defeat at Brisbane Road this season after a goalless draw in October, a fortnight after Newport County had come away with a 2-1 win. Orient’s only other defeat this season came away to AFC Wimbledon, while on their last outing they had a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Bradford City.

U’s previous visit this season ended in a 3-1 defeat in the Papa Johns Trophy, although it was Sutton who eventually qualified for the knockout stages, while last season, after Isaac Olaofe had put U’s ahead, Orient came back to win 4-1. U’s have won once at Brisbane Road, Jonah Ayunga scoring the only goal of the game in September 2018, Orient’s first defeat of a season that ended with them as champions.

The referee that afternoon was Carl Brook, and the Sussex official will also be in the middle on Saturday. A familiar face to Sutton supporters since first taking charge of a National League South game against Braintree in November 2007, he has been on the EFL list since 2020 and refereed the 1-0 win at Wimbledon in October.

U’s welcomed Harry Beautyman back to action last week and he is available against his former club, but Adam Lovatt is likely to remain out of action after being injured in the game at Carlisle.

All tickets for the game are £5, and Sutton supporters can buy tickets on Saturday from the West Stand ticket office in Oliver Road. Our accommodation is in the East Stand in Brisbane Road.

Supporters not travelling to the game can watch a live stream of the game on our iFollow service, with a match pass costing £10. You can click here to buy a pass.

Those who are going to the game are reminded that there is no supporters’ coach as even with the scheduled rail strike we anticipate the majority of supporters will use public transport, with the ground a short walk from Leyton station on the Central Line. Supporters should travel from Morden on the Bank branch of the Northern Line and change at Bank. Turn right out of the station and after passing Coronation Gardens on the left turn down Buckingham Road for the ground. On reaching the ground turn right in to Brisbane Road for the correct turnstiles. While there is a service from Sutton to Victoria on Saturday, with two trains an hour via Mitcham Junction and two an hour via West Croydon, there are no return trains from Victoria after 5.30pm. Anyone travelling to Victoria can connect with the Central Line via the District Line at Mile End(where the platforms are adjacent) or the Victoria Line at Oxford Circus.

Supporters driving will need to find their quickest way to the Blackwall Tunnel and having gone through the tunnel follow the A12 East Cross Route until the turn off for the A106 by the Olympic Park, signposted Leyton, New Spitalfields Market and Westfield – there is also a signpost for the ground. Ignore the earlier A106 signs for Dalston and Hackney. Continue on the A106 in to Ruckholt Road, and either turn left in to Oliver Road or continue to Leyton High Road before turning left. There is no parking at the ground, but street parking is available off Oliver Road or the High Road, with most restrictions not applying on Saturdays, particularly east of the High Road.