Good evening, and welcome to the 2025/26 season covering the O’s from myself, Alex Stripe. With a new league campaign fast approaching in just under two weeks, Richie Wellen’s men, who were League One Play-off Final runners-up last term, will be testing themselves against Spurs U21s in the JE3 Foundation Trophy this evening, in their on going pre-season training schedule.

A competition created to celebrate the life of the late, great Justin Edinburgh who played for Spurs and guided Orient back to the football league in 2019, as manager. While also, highlighting Justin’s son, Charlie Edinburgh’s, tremendous work in creating a heart defibrillator charity in Justin’s name.

1 min – Aaron Connelly gets down the left hand side and cuts in, but his curling effort drifts over the bar.

2 mins – Koroma is next to get a shot away, in a similar postion to Connelly, and his curling effort fetches a decent stop from the Spurs goalie, who tips the effort round the post for a corner. The resulting corner is met by Bakinson his header is well held by the keeper.

5 mins – Simkin is called into action as he blocks Jamie Donley’s effort with his shoulder, which looked to be outside the box but the ref says play on.

7 mins – Sensational work by Perkins who gets down the right hand side and puts a lovely ball into the box that is met by Connelly, his effort is close to the keeper and he managed to scoop it out to safety. The resulting corner is a good one, but no one can guide the ball on target.

12 mins – Connelly has an opportunity to play in Perkins, but he decides against it. Having his shot fizz wide, after brilliant build up play by Tom James. Got to feel he should’ve played in Perkins there.

20 mins – Jamie Donley puts in a great ball across the Orient box after some neat build-up play by Spurs, but no one is there to tap home.

25 mins – Bakinson finds himself in front of the keeper down the right hand side and shoots well and the keeper stands firm. All the linesmen to flag very late.

28th min – Connelly finds himself through on goal but a Spurs defender does well to block his shot and clear for a corner.

31 min – GOAL! CONNELLY – A sensational counter-attack from the O’s as a Aaron Connelly chips the keeper after being 1 on 1, the moved started with Sean Clare’s brilliant pass finding Koroma, who first time curled a through ball for Connelly to finish.

36 mins – Another Orient counter attack is lead by Perkins who plays in Koroma and his right footed shot is held at the front post by the Spurs goalie. Shortly after a chance falls in the box to Connelly and his left footed half volley smashes the side netting.

38 mins – Connelly has the ball in the net again after a smart half volley finish but his goal is ruled out due to handling the ball in the lead up.

43rd min – A Orient free-kick drops to Connelly but his volley is well held by the Spurs goalie.

Half-time – Leyton Orient 1 – 0 Spurs U21s

49 mins – The Spurs goalie is pulled into a wonder save as Connelly’s header is just about kept out, as Perkins swoops a ball in, Koroma nods back across goal and Connelly headers at goal.

51 mins – Orient earn a corner which is whipped in, met by Dan Happe at the back post and the Spurs goalie again is forced into a wonder save, down low to his left to keep out the header.

53 mins – Spurs’s goalie again is there to intercept another great Perkins cross that look destined to be met by Connelly who was steaming in.

56 mins – Gunter again! The Spurs goalie out does himself again, this time with a double save at the feet of Connelly and Bakinson! Surely Orient had to score.

64 mins – GOAL! Spurs pull it level. The O’s has recently made ten changes and it seems to not have worked. Game on here.

70 mins – Orients corner finds Mitchell at the back post but his volley just drifts wide of the mark after Cooper nodded it back.

71 mins – Oberio plays in DJ and Gunter again makes a wonder stop clawing DJs goal bound shot out of the top corner.

73 mins – GOAL! Orient take the lead again, as the Trialist scores cooly past the Spurs goalie after being tee’d up by Oberio.

83 mins – GOAL! Orient extended their lead, after a nice spell of possession, Mitchell gets down the right and clips a great cross across the box for DJ to nod home.

Full-time – Leyton Orient 3-1 Spurs U21s – Leyton Orient are JE3 Foundation Champions!