Leyton Orient expert on Charlton’s League One play-off final opponents – Resolve and teamwork key to O’s success

Dave Victor, of BBC Sport London, talks us through the strengths and weaknesses of Leyton Orient, Charlton’s opponents in Sunday’s League One play-off final.

What sort of season have the Os had?

It was a very poor start but [manager] Richie Wellens would say he has to rebuild every summer because of the dependence on loanees. That was complicated by some tricky games right at the start of the season – Bolton, Birmingham, Charlton.

By the end of August, they were second-from-bottom, after the loss to Shrewsbury. They also needed penalties to beat Boreham Wood in the FA Cup.

tthe turning point came when goalkeeper Josh Keeley scored a 99th-minute equaliser in the cup against Oldham. That seemed to be a turning point and they never looked back after that.

Jamie Donley, in particular, had started to find his feet. He was a very slow-burn initially, it’s fair to say. He was sent out by Spurs and they think highly of him.

Charlie Kelman, the majority of his goals have come in 2025, in fact I think he’s been the highest scorer in the Football League this calendar year. He leads the press and, this time [after a previous season-long loan at Orient, two years ago], he’s a lot more composed, one-on-one. His finishing wasn’t where it should be before, and he’d be the first to admit that. He was the sort of player who could bury difficult chances but when it was straightforward, he’d often miss. That’s the big change, he’s been putting his chances away.

Charlton won 2-1 at Orient in their last encounter, in League One on March 1, will that be a factor on Sunday?

I think the absence of Omar Beckles that day made a big difference, we were ahead until injury time. Then you look at the goals. We’d never have conceded the first if Beckles was on the pitch, and maybe not the second either.

What formation and personnel are likely to feature for Orient on Sunday?

Jack Currie has been outstanding on loan from Oxford United – also ex-Wimbledon, of course – but he was on the end of a really nasty challenge at Cambridge [on April 21] and has hardly played since. In his absence,  Wellens has gone to three central defenders with Randell Williams at left wing-back, because he knows Randell doesn’t offer the same sort of tackling.

Currie played an hour at Stockport [in the second leg of Orient’s play-off semi-final] before coming off with cramp. If he’s fit, I think Wellens will play his preferred back four, with Currie at left-back.

The other question mark concerns whether [left winger] Ollie O’Neill starts. He’s been injured and has missed a lot of games in 2025. He would normally be a first choice but we don’t know how match-fit he is. Otherwise it will be between Azeem Abdulai and maybe Dilan Markanday.

What is Leyton Orient’s biggest strength?

Resolve. Look at how often they have come back from behind in their run to the play-offs, in four of their recent games they came from behind. Against Barnsley they came back three times to win.

I think the secret is teamwork. When you consider players like Darren Pratley and Omar Beckles, even if Pratley doesn’t play, he’s a really important influence on the group, especially the young players. There’s so many players there, of all ages, who give the impression they’re enjoying themselves but then, in Donley and Kelman, you have players with astonishing ability too.

Also, I don’t think they’ll have the same sort of pressure on them to go into the Championship that there will be on Charlton.

The club has a new investor, David Gandler, who came in four weeks ago and there’s an ambition for the Championship that probably wasn’t there before but he wasn’t talking about next season. Wellens has said the club isn’t Championship ready in terms of stadium and training ground but if they go up, that will be accelerated.

And weaknesses?

They concede goals and they concede chances. You only had to watch the Stockport game to see that, Stockport hit the woodwork twice. They are very dependent on Keeley as a shotstopper.

Charlton fans will recognise a few familiar faces in the Orient ranks, what contribution have ex-Addicks made to the Os?

REG [Rarmani Edmonds-Green], everybody was asking why on earth he was signed but I think both Charlton and Bolton – who sold us Williams – probably now regret losing players to their rivals. I thought it showed they probably didn’t take the Os seriously for the play-offs.

We wouldn’t be where we are now without REG. Since January, he’s been the one consistent central defender, because of injuries. He’s made some superb saving tackles and has proved many Charlton supporters wrong.

Charlton supporters on Charlton Live are very sceptical about Sean Clare but he’s excelled as a holding midfield player and took a superb penalty against Stockport after the keeper went early, showing his composure and experience. He played in midfield for the Os away to Stockport in the league, scored, we won 4-1 and he was man of the match.

When he’s at right-back, he lacks a bit of pace but as a holding midfielder, he’s excellent.

Darren Pratley’s amazing. He’s 40 now but incredibly fit and still very, very pacey, which is astonishing. Wellens has managed him for minutes this season.

We know he’s a huge influence in the squad. He fills up a room and all the players respect him. He’s a proper leader and I think he’s enjoyed this season and what’s been achieved.

Finally, what’s your prediction for Sunday?

I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a long afternoon and goes to penalties. I think Leyton Orient have the sort of goalkeeper that thrives on the spotlight and would relish penalties.

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