Brisbane Road boss reveals several players struggling and it means McAnuff may return at Exeter City

Leyton Orient head coach Ian Hendon revealed Sean Clohessy was forced off at half time in yesterday’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie at Luton Town because of illness and that a sickness bug could be going through the camp.

The O’s exited the competition last night, conceding in the 90th minute at Kenilworth Road after Lloyd James had equalised from the penalty spot in the second period.

Orient had five players making their debuts - the likes of Charlie Grainger, Joe Maguire, on loan from Liverpool, Myles Judd, Freddy Moncur and Sandro Semedo.

But the concern for the Brisbane Road club is who will be fit for Saturday’s league clash at Exeter City.

The illness in the camp means Jobi McAnuff may earn a recall after failing to secure a move away from Orient during the summer transfer window.

Hendon said: “We even lost Sean Clohessy to illness at half time. We were stretched but we had five lads make their debuts and they performed admirably.

“I don’t know if Sean is a doubt for Saturday. He has been sick for the whole of the second half at Luton and we had to send the doctor in to look after him.

“Whether it is food poisoning or not we are not sure. There is a couple in there not feeling well. Frazer Shaw is another, Bradley Pritchard is another and Sammy Moore the other. Whether it is something they haven’t eaten, I am not sure.

“Sam Ling has had tonsillitis and he has been bad with that. He has been off for 10 days and we have had to keep him away from the rest in case anybody gets it.”

Clohessy, Shaw, Pritchard and Moore have started every league game of the campaign for Orient so far under Hendon.

If Moore or Pritchard were to miss Saturday’s match at Exeter, McAnuff could be involved for the first time this season.

“Jobi will be back in training in the morning and we go from there. We will have to see if he is part of my plans,” added Hendon.

“We are going to Exeter and we don’t know what we have got now with regards to the squad at the moment.

“At Luton we have played with one centre half, we have got Mathieu Baudry and Alan Dunne missing so we will have to assess the squad and see if Jobi’s is part of it.

“Jobi has been training and working hard every day. The rest has probably done him the world of good because he played a lot of games over the summer and didn’t have a break. The lack of football minutes for him isn’t a problem.”