26/12/2025
26/12/2025
Peterborough United FC
15:00
1
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Leyton Orient FC

Weston Homes Stadium

Posh welcome Leyton Orient to the Weston Homes Stadium on Boxing Day in Sky Bet League One action (3pm).

Peterborough United return to Sky Bet League One action on Boxing Day as Leyton Orient visit PE2 (3pm) and it will be a momentous occasion with the club celebrating our 3,000th League fixture. 

Posh secured all three points at Port Vale last time out in the club's 1,500th away league game and Luke Williams' side will be looking to mark their 1,500th home league fixture and 3,000th overall with three points. 

A win over the O's could lift Posh further up the league table with a game in hand, but equally, defeat could see them return to the relegation zone, which is the nature of the closeness of the division this year.

Orient have enjoyed some decent results under Richie Wellens and were 2-1 victors over Bradford City last time out with Dom Ballard scoring a brace to continue his fine form.

TEAM NEWS

Posh are without the services of Sam Hughes and Rio Adebisi due to injury, while Jacob Mendy has been added to the list with the on-loan Wrexham man set to be out for two weeks. 

Cian Hayes and Tom O'Connor returned to the squad at Vale Park after injury while defender Tom Lees has recovered from illness, which forced him off in the second half against the Valiants. Defender Harley Mills has now undergone a successful operation on a muscle injury. No time frame has been put on his recovery as of yet.

The O's are expected to start Omar Beckles at the back after coming on as a substitute in the win over the Bantams while Josh Koroma is another pushing for a starting berth.

ONE TO WATCH

Dom Ballard

Ballard (pictured below) penned a three-year contract in E10 and has the option of a fourth year. The forward spent the second half of the 2024/25 season at Cambridge United, scoring twice for the U's and has also had spells on loan at Reading, scoring three goals in ten appearances, and at Blackpool.

Ballard had a prolific goal record in the Southampton U18 and U21/U23 sides, scoring 60 times in a combined 72 matches since 2020. He has also represented England 20 times at youth level, scoring nine times. He made his Orient debut against Posh on 2nd September, and scored on his first league fixture versus Port Vale.

Image
Leyton Orient's Dom Ballard

TICKET NEWS

Tickets are on sale now via the Weston Homes Stadium Ticket Office, which is open until 12pm on Christmas Eve.  Leyton Orient fans will be accommodated in the away section of the Kings Power Solutions Stand with around 400 tickets sold. The GH Display Stand is open for Posh fans.

MANAGER QUOTES

"Leyton Orient are a side that I expect to be in the mix towards the top end of the table at the end of the season. They are hugely competitive, they have a lot of good players for the level, they have two good strikers that we will have to keep an eye on, but hopefully we can cause them problems too. They have an experienced management team and we are looking forward to going toe to toe with them," Luke Williams said.

KIT COLOURS

Posh will be in the blue home kit, which can be purchased here

MATCH OFFICIALS

Abigail Byrne will be the match official.

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Declan Frith celebrates scoring the winning goal against Leyton Orient

Substitute Declan Frith scored the winner in the 94th minute as Posh made it four wins from four with a 1-0 victory over Leyton Orient at the Weston Homes Stadium. 

The club's 3,000th league fixture proved to be memorable as a late winner from Declan Frith, his first goal for the club, secured a 1-0 win over Leyton Orient to move Peterborough United into 13th place in the League One table.

It was a fourth successive win for Luke Williams' side and means the boss has collected 18 points from a possible 24 since taking over the reins at the end of October. 

In truth, it was a game that lacked quality at times, but in terms of opportunities in front of goal, it was Posh who created the better opportunities in front of goal.

However, it was Orient who had the first chance of the game, Dom Ballard rattling the base of the post after finding space in the Posh defensive third. 

On 14 minutes, Kyrell Lisbie was a whisker away from breaking the deadlock, but his curling shot went past the upright. Matt Garbett saw an effort pushed around the post by Simkin after a strong run on 38 minutes. 

Kioso fired over with his left-foot on 40 minutes while Garbett also cleared the crossbar as Posh ended the first half strongly. Harry Leonard failed to get a shot on target two minutes after the bench after good work from Garbett.

On 48 minutes, Alex Bass made a fine save at his near post to keep out Mitchell's angled drive before Garbett's free-kick was parried by Simkin. 

On 73 minutes, Bass pushed a low effort around the post after a strong run and effort from O'Neill. On 74 minutes, Posh were awarded a spot-kick after an apparent handball, but after discussions with the assistant referee, the official, Abigail Byrne reversed her decision and gave the visitors a free-kick.

Leonard found the side-netting on 83 minutes before Johnson tested Simkin from the edge of the box. Four minutes of added time was signalled by the fourth official and in the last minute, Posh found the winner as FRITH headed home from close-range.

Posh: Bass, Johnston, Collins, Lees, Woods (sub O’Brien-Brady 65min), Lisbie Morgan (sub Frith 55min), Okagbue, Leonard (sub Lindgren 84min), Garbett, Kioso. Unused subs: Reyes, Hayes, O’Connor, Dornelly.

Leyton Orient: Simkin, Simpson, Happe (sub James 46min), O’Neill (sub Koroma 80min), Mitchell (sub Adaramola 54min), Craig, Bakinson, Beckles, Moorhouse, Wellens (sub Jaiyesimi 89min), Ballard. Unused subs: Cahill, Abdulai, Jaiyesmi, Clare. 

Half-time: Peterborough United 0-0 Leyton Orient
Full-time: Peterborough United 1-0 Leyton Orient
Attendance: 9,882 (759 Orient fans)
Referee: Abigail Byrne

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