It’s a family affair for Nathan

NATHAN CLARKE: has yet to play against his younger brother, Tom, in a serious match.

NATHAN Clarke will embark on a career first at Leyton Orient tomorrow — lining up against his own flesh and blood.

Younger brother Tom is set to take his place in the home line-up at Brisbane Road after following his elder sibling's lead in penning a three-month deal out of Huddersfield Town.

Despite Nathan's loan spell at Colchester last season, he has yet to confront Tom in anything but training.

It is again unlikely that the Halifax-born pair will have to compete for too many 50-50 challenges tomorrow, though, as both sides battle to take league points for different reasons.

"It is the first time we will have played against each other, but then we are not going to be in direct competition as he will be in midfield battling away in there," said Nathan, an impressive calming influence at centre-back so far during his spell at Boundary Park.

"Dad will make the journey south but I don't think mum will be there — she has never seen us play against each other, so it might be a bit much for her."

Tom was drafted in by Orient boss Russell Slade before last week's 1-1 draw at Colchester and played in that game, as well as the follow-up 3-1 home loss to Bournemouth.

Rock-bottom Orient's surprisingly-poor start to the season has yet to result in many fans calling for the head of Slade, who has plenty of goodwill built up in the bank thanks to last season's play-off push which went right to the wire.

In the end, the O's missed out to Bournemouth on a top-six place by a single point.

With that in mind, Nathan reckons it will be a tricky game for Athletic.

"They have a good squad," he said. "Most of it is pretty similar to last season's, so we know it will be a difficult one for us."

A host of injury problems have stymied Orient's progress this term.

On-loan Spurs goalkeeper David Button, centre-back Stephen Dawson and striker Jamie Cureton — a regular thorn in Athletic's side — are injured, with Elliot Omozusi and new boys Leon McSweeney and Marc Laird not yet fully fit.

Hopes were high that the home game with Bournemouth on Tuesday would bring about a first league win of the season. Instead, Orient slipped to an unfortunate defeat.

David Coote, the referee in charge of Athletic's similarly controversial 2-1 win at Scunthorpe in which Jean-Yves Mvoto was sent off, was slammed by Orient's manager.

Ben Chorley was deemed to have fouled Harry Arter in the penalty area for a Cherries penalty, opening the game's scoring, and Scott Cuthbert was later dismissed for a challenge on the same player after Orient had fought back to level with a Mathieu Baudry own goal.

“It is an absolute disgrace," Slade said of the penalty award. "It is an appalling decision.

“The red card is iffy as well, to be honest. He has caught him with the trailing leg.

"At 11v11 we were the best side on the pitch.

“Obviously the penalty has given them something to cling on to. We showed great attitude — we got back to 1-1 — we’re the best side again and then obviously the sending-off was a massive turning point.”

The O's have picked up only two points, both away from Brisbane Road, from their eight League One fixtures to date.