League One Gameweek 37 Preview: Orient’s Date with Destiny as Lincoln Eye the Title
Gameweek 37 Preview: Competition:Sky Bet League One Dates: Saturday 14th March 2026 Number of Fixtures: 12 Leyton Orient: HOME vs Peterborough United (Saturday, 3:00pm)
Gameweek 37 delivers twelve fixtures across a single Saturday, with the League One landscape crackling with tension from top to bottom. At the summit, Lincoln City continue their extraordinary title march, hosting a Stockport County side desperately searching for form in the 12:30 early kick-off — a result that could send the Imps seven points clear at the top. At the wrong end of the table, Leyton Orient face a must-win home encounter against Peterborough United, seeking back-to-back league wins for the first time this season, while navigating an off-field upheaval following the departure of director of football Martin Ling just days before kick-off.
Gameweek 37 – Stats & Historical Data
All Fixtures – Head to Head, xG Form & Historical Positions
League One - Matchday 37 Preview
Season 2025-26 | Powered by 6 seasons of historical data
Martin Ling Departs Brisbane Road: Leyton Orient parted ways with director of football Martin Ling this week after nine seasons — a significant off-field development ahead of a crucial home match. Ling helped engineer Orient’s rise from the National League and oversaw back-to-back promotions before returning as DoF in 2017. Chairman Nigel Travis cited a difficult season and the need to move forward. With the O’s sitting in the final relegation place having won just 10 of 33 EFL matches, how the squad responds on the pitch on Saturday will be the first indicator of what that new chapter looks like.
Lincoln Close in on the Title: Michael Skubala’s Lincoln City side have been the story of the season, and Gameweek 37 offers them the chance to go seven points clear at the summit if they beat Stockport at 12:30. The Imps have won nine of their last ten league games, conceded only 15 goals at home all season, and have scored 19 in their last six home matches. With Cardiff not kicking off until 3pm, Lincoln could make the title theirs for the taking while the gameweek is still getting started.
Cardiff’s Wobble Opens the Door: Only weeks ago Cardiff looked certainties for automatic promotion alongside Lincoln. But Erol Bulut’s side have now won just one of their last four league games — losing to Plymouth away, Lincoln at home, and dropping points at Barnsley midweek. Bolton, unbeaten since 10th January, are now within nine points and closing fast. Saturday’s trip to Exeter is far from a gimme, and another dropped point could breathe genuine life into what looked like a settled top two.
League One Top Scorers
Top Scorers Heading into Gameweek 37
1.
Dominic Ballard (Leyton Orient)
18
2.
Jack Marriott (Reading)
16
3.
Jayden Wareham (Exeter City)
16
4.
Kyle Wootton (Stockport County)
16
5.
Ashley Fletcher (Blackpool)
13
Top Assists
Top Assist Providers
1.
Reyes Cleary (Barnsley)
12
2.
Ilmari Niskanen (Exeter City)
10
3.
Ollie Tanner (Cardiff)
10
Match of the Week: Lincoln City vs Stockport County
Saturday 12:30pm — LNER Stadium, Lincoln
This is the eye-catching early kick-off and arguably the most consequential fixture of the gameweek regardless of what else is happening at 3pm. Lincoln City, four points clear at the top and 13 points above the playoff places, host a Stockport County side that have won just one of their last five league matches — a run that has cast serious doubt over their playoff credentials with ten games to go. For the Imps, a victory here could send them seven points clear before Cardiff even kick off, effectively putting one hand on the League One title. For Stockport, this is a reckoning: can they rediscover the form that made them genuine promotion contenders, or will the LNER Stadium simply expose how badly they have stuttered since the turn of the year?
Head to Head
Lincoln vs Stockport County
Last 4 league meetings
Lincoln3Wins
0Draws
Stockport County1Wins
Total Goals: 9 - 6
Date
Home
Score
Away
xG
14 Mar 2026 2025-26
Lincoln
3 - 1
Stockport County
-
26 Dec 2025 2025-26
Stockport County
1 - 2
Lincoln
1.9 - 1.9
26 Apr 2025 2024-25
Stockport County
3 - 2
Lincoln
-
26 Oct 2024 2024-25
Lincoln
2 - 1
Stockport County
-
Recent Form Comparison
Team not found: Lincoln Stockport County
xG Trends
Lincoln - 10-Match Rolling xG 2025/2026
Rolling 10-match average | Green above red = Creating more than conceding
Stockport County - 10-Match Rolling xG 2025/2026
Rolling 10-match average | Green above red = Creating more than conceding
Goals by Period
Lincoln - Goals by Time Period 2025/2026
Best Scoring Period
31-45 mins
Most Vulnerable Period
76-90+ mins
Stockport County - Goals by Time Period 2025/2026
Best Scoring Period
76-90+ mins
Most Vulnerable Period
76-90+ mins
Historical Position at Matchday 37
Historical Position Comparison
Lincoln - Saturday 14th March 2026
Season
Pos
Pts
GD
xGD
Form
Final
2025-26(now)
1st
93
+43
-3.2
DWWWW
-
2024-25
12th
49
+8
+0.0
LLWLW
11th
2023-24
9th
57
+15
+0.0
WWLWD
7th
2022-23
14th
46
+1
+0.0
WLLDW
11th
2021-22
18th
42
+1
+0.0
LWDDW
17th
2020-21
3rd
67
+21
+0.0
LWDLD
5th
2019-20
15th
42
-2
+0.0
LDLDW
15th
Historical Position Comparison
Stockport County - Saturday 14th March 2026
Season
Pos
Pts
GD
xGD
Form
Final
2025-26(now)
5th
70
+15
+9.0
DLWDL
-
2024-25
5th
66
+17
+0.0
WWDWW
3rd
Player to Watch
Adam Reach (Lincoln City)
Adam Reach has been one of the most consistent performers in League One this season and is Lincoln’s standout player by average rating. The experienced midfielder has chipped in with 4 goals and 4 assists, bringing both creativity and composure to a Lincoln side that has been relentlessly well-organised under Michael Skubala. If Stockport are going to get anything from this trip to the LNER Stadium, they will need to nullify Reach’s influence in the middle of the park.
Adam Reach
Lincoln • M • 2025-2026 Season
31 apps4 goals4 assists7.15 avg rating
BTP Verdict
Lincoln are simply the best team in this division and home advantage adds another layer. Stockport have won only one of their last five league matches and carry a negative away goal difference — one road win in their last six and only four goals scored away from home in that run. The LNER Stadium with a full crowd roaring on a potential title march is about as hostile an environment as League One offers. We back a comfortable Lincoln win, though Stockport’s quality should at least get them on the scoresheet.
Prediction
Lincoln 2-1 Stockport
One to Watch
Adam Reach
Key Battle
Lincoln’s backline vs Stockport’s attack
Leyton Orient vs Peterborough United — Saturday 3:00pm
The Opposition: Peterborough United started life under Luke Williams with genuine momentum — there was a point in January where a playoff push looked plausible. That has long since faded. Posh have won only three of their last ten league games and have gone four consecutive away matches without a victory, conceding 27 goals on the road. Their attacking play remains lively with the likes of Ricky-Jade Jones, but defensive fragility away from London Road makes them very beatable for a home side willing to commit forward — and Orient, when they fire, are exactly that kind of team.
Key Battle: Orient’s attacking line versus a Peterborough back four that has shipped freely on the road all season. The O’s need to be ruthless in front of goal — chances will come, and if they convert at the rate they managed at Stevenage on Tuesday, three points are very much on.
What We Think: Orient’s midweek win at Stevenage was enormous — the kind of result that does not come easily given how few sides had won there all season. The question now is whether they can replicate that energy at Brisbane Road. Peterborough will offer a threat going forward and neither defence inspires enormous confidence, but Orient’s home crowd and the momentum from Tuesday gives us enough to back the hosts. Expect goals at both ends, but Orient to edge it.
Head to Head
Leyton Orient vs Peterborough
Last 5 league meetings
Leyton Orient1Wins
2Draws
Peterborough2Wins
Total Goals: 5 - 6
Date
Home
Score
Away
xG
14 Mar 2026 2025-26
Leyton Orient
2 - 1
Peterborough
-
26 Dec 2025 2025-26
Peterborough
1 - 0
Leyton Orient
1.3 - 0.6
18 Jan 2025 2024-25
Peterborough
0 - 0
Leyton Orient
-
24 Sep 2024 2024-25
Leyton Orient
2 - 2
Peterborough
-
01 Apr 2024 2023-24
Leyton Orient
1 - 2
Peterborough
-
Recent Form Comparison
Team not found: Leyton Orient Peterborough
xG Trends
Leyton Orient - 10-Match Rolling xG 2025/2026
Rolling 10-match average | Green above red = Creating more than conceding
Peterborough - 10-Match Rolling xG 2025/2026
Rolling 10-match average | Green above red = Creating more than conceding
Goals by Period
Leyton Orient - Goals by Time Period 2025/2026
Best Scoring Period
46-60 mins
Most Vulnerable Period
76-90+ mins
Peterborough - Goals by Time Period 2025/2026
Best Scoring Period
76-90+ mins
Most Vulnerable Period
46-60 mins
Historical Position at Matchday 37
Historical Position Comparison
Leyton Orient - Saturday 14th March 2026
Season
Pos
Pts
GD
xGD
Form
Final
2025-26(now)
19th
50
-9
-4.6
WDDLL
-
2024-25
9th
56
+15
+0.0
LLLLW
6th
2023-24
11th
54
-1
+0.0
LWWLL
12th
Historical Position Comparison
Peterborough - Saturday 14th March 2026
Season
Pos
Pts
GD
xGD
Form
Final
2025-26(now)
16th
51
+2
+2.1
WDLDL
-
2024-25
18th
42
-8
+0.0
WDDWL
18th
2023-24
3rd
71
+30
+0.0
WWWWW
4th
2022-23
7th
60
+16
+0.0
LWLWW
6th
2020-21
2nd
67
+21
+0.0
LWDLD
2nd
2019-20
6th
59
+28
+0.0
WWLDW
6th
Leyton Orient Recent Form
Leyton Orient - Recent League Form
LLDDWW
Player to Watch
Dominic Ballard — Leyton Orient
Dominic Ballard is quite simply the most prolific striker in League One this season, sitting top of the scoring charts with 18 goals — two clear of the chasing pack. The striker has been Orient’s talisman throughout a difficult campaign, and his ability to create something from very little makes him the most dangerous attacker in the bottom half of the division. Peterborough’s leaky away defence will not relish facing him at Brisbane Road on Saturday.
Dominic Ballard
Leyton Orient • F • 2025-2026 Season
36 apps22 goals4 assists6.98 avg rating
BTP Verdict
Orient have the attacking quality to hurt this Peterborough side — they have scored in their recent home fixtures and Posh’s away defensive record is among the worst in the division. It will not be tidy, and both sides will likely score, but we are backing Orient to edge a lively match at Brisbane Road and record those crucial back-to-back league wins for the first time this season. A win here, combined with favourable results elsewhere, could lift them out of the bottom three.
Prediction
Orient 3-2 Peterborough
One to Watch
Dominic Ballard
Key Battle
Orient attack vs Posh’s leaky defence
BTP Predictions — Gameweek 37
Our Predictions
Season record: 43pts from 66 predictions (22%)
Rotherham United vs Bolton Wanderers
0-1
Doncaster Rovers vs Blackpool
2-1
Exeter City vs Cardiff City
1-3
Mansfield Town vs Barnsley
2-1
Northampton Town vs Burton Albion
1-1
Port Vale vs Huddersfield Town
1-0
Lincoln City vs Stockport County
2-1
Reading vs Plymouth Argyle
1-1
Stevenage vs AFC Wimbledon
1-0
Wigan Athletic vs Bradford City
1-2
Wycombe Wanderers vs Luton Town
2-0
Leyton Orient vs Peterborough United
3-2
Final Thoughts
Gameweek 37 is one of those Saturdays where the League One table could look very different by 5pm. Lincoln have the chance to effectively end the title conversation, Cardiff face a genuine banana-skin at Exeter with Bolton breathing down their necks, and the relegation scrap tightens further whichever way the bottom-end results go. For Leyton Orient, Saturday is as close to a must-win as it gets — they cannot afford to let this home game against a very beatable Peterborough side slip through their fingers, especially with the added emotional weight of the off-field upheaval this week.
Best case for Leyton Orient: A convincing home win sends them out of the relegation zone on goal difference, results elsewhere go their way, and back-to-back wins for the first time this season spark a run of form that gives them a real platform for survival in the final nine games.
Worst case: Peterborough’s attacking quality causes chaos at both ends, Orient’s defensive fragility is exposed again, and defeat leaves them stranded in the bottom three with a mountain to climb and the games running out.
Leyton Orient Upcoming Fixtures
Next Fixtures
Leyton Orient - Upcoming League Fixtures
Date
Home
Away
14 Apr 2026
Leyton Orient
Mansfield Town
18 Apr 2026
Leyton Orient
Rotherham
25 Apr 2026
Blackpool
Leyton Orient
02 May 2026
Leyton Orient
Burton Albion
Check back after the weekend for our full Gameweek 37 League One review with xG analysis and match reports!
Kieron is a healthcare professional turned data analyst and football obsessive. BeyondThePrem was built from scratch as a passion project — the ML models, the pipeline and the plugin are all his own work. He thinks the Championship is the most interesting division in world football and has the spreadsheets to prove it.
Rotherham22nd
Bolton4th
Lincoln1st
Stockport County5th
Reading9th
Plymouth7th
Wigan15th
Bradford3rd
Northampton23rd
Burton Albion17th
Port Vale24th
Huddersfield8th
Doncaster14th
Blackpool18th
Wycombe11th
Luton10th
Exeter City21st
Cardiff2nd
Stevenage6th
AFC Wimbledon20th
Leyton Orient19th
Peterborough16th
Mansfield Town13th
Barnsley12th