Full League debut for Butcher against Sheffield Wednesday

ORIENT goalkeeper Lee Butcher is set to make his full league debut at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

Butcher replaced Jamie Jones just before the break at Oldham on Saturday, when the first-choice keeper limped off with a groin injury.

Butcher came on and caught the eye with three fine saves to help Orient take a point.

He was due to keep his place in last night’s (Tuesday’s) Johnstone’s Paint Trophy clash against Brentford and is likely to get the selection nod at the weekend, as Jones is unlikely to be fit.

It will be a high-profile first league start for Butcher at Hillsborough, but O’s boss Russell Slade backed his rookie keeper this week.

The Orient chief was delighted with the form Butcher showed at Oldham and said: “Lee made two great saves and everybody is really pleased and buzzing for the young boy.

“I was really pleased for him, because he came on in a difficult situation when we were 1-0 down and he did really well.”

Jones had been ever-present until limping off at Oldham, but had been carrying an injury recently.

“Jamie has had a little bit of a groin strain, but that strain seems to have worsened and it’s in the hernia area where he’s having a problem,” explained Slade.

Jones now looks set for a spell on the sidelines.

“We will have to wait and see and I’ll leave it to the physio, but Jamie probably needs a rest now,” said Slade.

Sheffield Wednesday, who were relegated last season, made a good start to the campaign, but have slipped down the table and are currently 10th with 14 points from 10 starts.

But, despite being unbeaten in their last three league games, the O’s have slipped back into the bottom four.

In a tight League One table, a victory could lift Slade’s side several places and the O’s chief is keen to build on a win and two draws in the last three league outings and believes the point gained at Oldham last weekend will help the team climb the table.

“I thought we were a real match for them in the second half,” he said after Saturday’s game.

“Oldham have made a good start to the season, but full credit to the boys, we’ve kept the run going and we’ve not lost now for three games.”

But the O’s boss will be looking for a strong defensive display at Hillsborough and was not too happy with the goal his side let in at Oldham.

“It was a horrible goal to concede from a defensive point of view,” he said.