BARNSLEY will look to become the first side to score past Leyton Orient in more than seven hours of football, and end a tough year at Oakwell on a high, from 3pm.
Orient are 18th in League One, three points clear of the relegation zone and eight behind the Reds.
The London club lost their first four games of the season and had been in and out of the bottom four until recent weeks. They have only lost one of their last six league games, keeping five clean sheets.
In all competitions, they are unbeaten in five and have not conceded in the last four. They drew 0-0 at home to second-bottom Burton Albion on Saturday, having won 2-0 at Wigan and 3-0 at home to Bristol Rovers. They are unbeaten in their last five away games in all competitions, with four wins, and kept clean sheets in the last three.
Clarke told the Chronicle: “They are on a decent run of clean sheets with a settled back four. It’s always tough to break teams down who are defensively strong but we think that some of our forward play is very good. We get quite a lot of opportunities in games, we’re a forward-thinking team and that will continue Saturday.”
Orient manager Richie Wellens and Clarke drew their first meeting as managers but Wellens has come out on top in the next five.
Clarke said: “Richie is a good lad and a good manager. He’s done a terrific job.
“They probably didn’t have the start that wanted but I always thought they wouldn’t be in danger. Recent results show that.”
Barnsley have won just two of their ten home games this season, the 19th best record in the division, while they have taken 15 points from 16 league games at Oakwell since February with two wins.
They have only won six home league games in 2024, four of which were in January and February, and this is their final Oakwell fixture of the calendar year. Clarke said: “It’s the last home game in 2024 and home form has not been good enough in the calendar year.
“It starts with myself and the players. Everybody plays their part.
“The fans have been magnificent.
“I know that, at this time of year, money is tight and the club are doing their best to get people in.”
He added: “I am confident that 2025 will be really good year for the football club and we will rectify our home form. It’s easier said than done but it’s something I am confident we will achieve.
“There is a lot that goes into it. There’s not one thing you can put your finger on.
“Some of the performances, certainly over the last four or five games at home, have been very very good so let’s turn those performances into wins.”
This will be the 58th meeting of the clubs, with Barnsley winning 24 and losing 22. The Reds are unbeaten in the last six. Last season, they drew 1-1 in London with Herbie Kane cancelling out a penalty given for handball against Jamie McCart. Sam Cosgrove was sent off in that game, as was Luca Connell at Oakwell in February when the Reds came from behind on 87 minutes to win thanks to an Adam Phillips double.
There have been Barnsley red cards in the last four meetings with Milan Lalkovic and Ross Turnbull dismissed in the 2014/15 season. Orient have won just three of 28 games at Oakwell.
