Cotterill Keen To Avoid Role Reversal At Orient

Twelve months ago Bristol City travelled to Leyton Orient in the Sky Bet League One relegation zone, whilst the hosts were targeting three points to hit the divisional summit.

Instead the form book was thrown upside down as goals from Sam Baldock, Tyrone Barnett and Aden Flint fired Cotterill’s strugglers to a 3-1 victory.

This time around the roles are reversed, with City eight points clear at the top and Orient one adrift of safety.

“I remember what we were like going into the game and I remember the dressing room afterwards, but this is a completely new season now,” the manager told Bristol City Player.

“We’ve done okay this season and it’s a different scenario we go there with, but we go there with the same aim, which is to get three points.

“Orient were at the top of the table and had a really good season. They ended up in the play-offs but they were right up there when we went there.”

Cotterill pointed to recent topsy-turvy results up and down the Football League, highlighting the need for his players to display “plenty of fight” to come through a sequence of three consecutive away games unscathed, starting tonight in East London.

“It’s a very difficult league and it’s the same all across England because of the honesty that’s around. It’s very difficult to predict results,” he continued.

“You can look at a lot of the other leagues – Burton Albion were beaten at home in League Two, Bournemouth drew at home in the Championship and Derby and Middlesbrough both lost.

“This time of year throws up some really funny results and we’ve got to be very mindful of that.

“It’s up to us to make sure we go there and play as much football as the pitch will allow us and fight for everything.

“That’s what we’ve got to make sure of over the next few games – there’s got to be plenty of fight in us.”