THE gloves are off at Leyton Orient.
And it is up to manager Geraint Williams to decide which of his goalkeepers should face free-scoring Southampton this Saturday.
Glenn Morris is the man hoping to keep his gloves ON, but Jamie Jones, who started the campaign as number one, is fit again and hoping to oust him from between the sticks.
Luckily, Williams is spoiled for choice in the goalkeeping department at the moment.
Jones is available again after recovering from a series of head injuries, while the manager also drafted in Jeff Butcher from Spurs as cover for Morris, who has performed so well in the absence of Jones.
Morris is keen to keep his place, but was this week reserved about his prospects of starting against the Saints.
He told the Guardian: “I will see what happens. All I can do is keep on doing what I’m doing.
“We have had a few positive results at home, but you do not know what the boss will do.
“I feel I have played well. It’s hard to know, because last Saturday (at Huddersfield) we did not play as well as we should. I had a lot to do, and it’s good to show what you can do, but you don’t want to have to do it like that.”
He called on the entire team to work to plug the gaps which have appeared in the Orient defence, once so solid.
“Our defence looks really strong on paper, but we’ve let in the second-most goals in the division,” Morris said.
“I don’t think that's soley the defence’s problem. The whole team must take responsibility.”
Williams is hopeful Orient can put Saturday's 4-0 drubbing at Huddersfield behind them and is looking forward to the visit of one of League One's 'top' teams.
“We want to give our fans something to cheer about," the manager said. "We should have a very big crowd there.”
But Southampton will arrive in strong form and determined to spoil things.
Under Alan Pardew, the Saints have wiped out the ten-point deficit they started the season with.
And right now, no team in League One is scoring more goals than them.
Orient’s hopes could be boosted if Adam Chambers is fit to play. The midfielder has produced impressive displays in the reserves, and could feature.
Meanwhile, Orient have been drawn against Tranmere Rovers in round one of the FA Cup.
Williams said he was glad to have avoided a non-league side.
“Sometimes when you draw a non-league team you do not know what to expect.
“We know the opposition and the surroundings, but it will not be an easy task for us because you want to play these games at home.”
The match at Prenton Park will be played on the weekend of November 7.
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