Hendon reflects on Brisbane Road bow, facing Barnet and starting League Two strongly

East London Advertiser: Leyton Orient manager Ian Hendon looks on at Colchester (pic: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO)Leyton Orient manager Ian Hendon looks on at Colchester (pic: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO) (Image: 25/07/2015 Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO c/o 27 Plaiters Way, Braintree, Essex, CM7 3LR, contact@tgsphoto.co.uk)

Leyton Orient boss Ian Hendon knows exactly what to expect from Barnet when his team face the Bees at Brisbane Road this Saturday for their opening match of the new League Two season.

Barnet, promoted from the National League last year under Martin Allen, are the opposition for Hendon’s first competitive game in charge of the O’s and a bruising encounter is predicted, but the home side will be ready.

Hendon said: “Barnet are big lads, they are strong and very direct. They will be hard working, because that is the way Martin sets his teams out, and there is nothing wrong with that.

“It’s got them results and they’ll be a team with a lot of confidence having achieved promotion. They have carried that into pre-season because they have claimed some good scalps.

“They will be well drilled and it’s how we compete with them first and foremost, then how we play and try to open them up.”

O’s travel to stadiummk to face MK Dons in the first round of the Capital One Cup on Tuesday (August 11), but the first challenge for them is try and turn Brisbane Road into a fortress.

They struggled on home soil last year and registered only six wins in E10 in all competitions under four different managers.

But Hendon added: “I’m really looking forward to getting back to Brisbane Road. I hope a lot of fans turn out and have been happy with what they have seen on the road.

“We are playing at home on Saturday and we want to make that a bit of a fortress. Every manager will say the same thing about their home games and I’m no different.

“I want teams to come to Orient and not enjoy their football, but I want us to enjoy being at home.”

“The sooner we get winning games at Brisbane Road the better, but it will be difficult against Barnet. They are our first game there, though, so let’s go out and try to win it.”

Hendon previous affiliation with Barnet could potentially make this an emotional affair for him having been captain and manager of the Bees during a seven-year stay.

The Orient boss is trying not to focus on that, though, and instead wants his side to get the job done and start their League Two campaign in style.

“Every game you win three points so it doesn’t really matter who the opposition is,” added Hendon.

“Obviously I had a good time at Barnet and I was captain there when they got promoted to the football league. I have a lot of friends still at the club and I wish them well just not on Saturday.”