Leyton Orient head coach Ross Embleton reveals Lee Angol could be out for the season but midfielder Craig Clay could return very soon as they head into a congested fixture list.

Angol, 26, suffered a severe injury in the 1-0 defeat to Forest Green Rovers on Saturday, January 23 and could now face a long period on the sidelines.

But the positive for the O’s is that although Clay was rumoured to be looking at a similar long period out, he is edging close to an imminent return to action - as is right-back Sam Ling.

“Craig Clay is OK. I've just had a good chat with him as I came out the tunnel and he looked as if he has really responded well to some work that he did.

“It’s been really uncertain. Because of the impact injury that he suffered - it was a bruising if you like on his quad area - it looked as though he had pulled his quad.

“We were under the impression that he was going to be out for a real extended period of time and almost the rest of the season at one stage.

“The scan came back a lot more severe than perhaps it would have done if we had waited longer. Now it’s settled down Craig looks in a good place. Tuesday will come too soon for him but we’ll keep our fingers crossed.

“Sam is similar, probably a little more delayed than Craig, as his was a pulled muscle at the top of his leg.

“It’s in a difficult area, but we don’t envisage him being out much longer than this week.”

Embleton added: “We’re going to miss Lee Angol for a very long time. I’d love to say that we’ll be able to see him back.

“The great thing for Lee is his career and opportunity to get back playing again as he doesn’t have to go under the knife. That was something we were really concerned about as it was at a severity level where he might have to have It operated on.”

Forwards Ruel Sotiriou and Louis Dennis are also nursing knocks but the head coach is hoping he can get them back soon.

“Ruel’s is similar to Craig Clay’s - we had a bit of a scare with the original scan. Now it’s come back after a week or two of rest and work on the area, it looks brighter.

“Louis Dennis has missed out with a tight quad. We will see the severity of that.”