Promotion race leans heavily in Leyton Orient’s favour as Salford come up short against Coasters

LEYTON ORIENT are on the brink of returning to the Football League – but a thrilling National League title race will still go to the final day.
Justin Edinburgh’s O’s are three points clear of both Salford, who lost for the first time in ten games at home to Fylde, and Solihull Moors.
They hold a better goal difference of plus 5 and plus 8 respectively and know they need just a point at home to Braintree on Saturday to absolutely guarantee it. Never say never in football but it would take a remarkable turn of events to spoil the party at home to already relegated Braintree.

While the Orient fans sang in the Solihull sun, Edinburgh isn’t going to pop the champagne yet.

“We’re very close but we have our most important game of the season,” Edinburgh said. “This was an incredible point, we had to work so, so hard to get it. But we can’t take our eye off it, we’ve got to go and secure a point to be champions and that’s what everyone is working towards.
“The group wouldn’t allow us to approach it any differently. They manage themselves. They’re a good group – the captain (Jobi McAnuff), Charlie Lee, Matt Harrold, Josh Coulson won’t allow these young players to rest so we’ll get back in Wednesday and fully prepare exactly as we would.”
It’s two years to the day that Leyton Orient dropped out of the Football League. Mis-managed by a rogue ownership that put the club close to extinction, the National League has been like two years of rehab.
But, as many will say, the road back into the League is not tarmacked. It’s bumpy and at times energy-sapping.
Five years ago this weekend the O’s were playing Wolves in League One. Now they’re in a three-way title race with two teams many of their fans, with respect, may not have expected to be battling it out with.
Salford City’s rise up the ladder has, literally, been well documented, whereas Solihull Moors’ has perhaps caught more people off guard.
That Tim Flowers’ side can still win the division with one game to go – albeit with a huge goal swing – is quite something and deserves huge credit.
But the former England international has a squad packed with experience, quality, nous and, crucially, experience of getting out of this division. They also know their jobs inside out and Flowers has a formula that wins games. This point guaranteed a top three finish at the very least.
“It always makes me laugh when people go, ‘Well they’re good at what they do,” said Flowers, who congratulated Orient on all but getting over the line.
“Well what’s that then? Take you apart at times? Some of the sublime reverse passes we’ve put through to Lee Vaughan on the outside, between bodies, some of the quality diagonals – they’re top quality in any division.
“It was funny when Liverpool made two changes against Southampton the other day and people said it was good because they could pass forward – you can’t score if you don’t pass forward. Whether it’s over 50 yards or ten yards, you’ve got to break lines and pass the ball.
“When you look at our front players and Jamey Osborne, Darren Carter, they can cut you to ribbons with passes.
“We’ve been wonderful but we’ve got to go to Dagenham and finish the season. That won’t be easy. We’ll reflect, pick a team and go down there to try and win the game.”