Just for interest, see below for official Orient match reporter's verdict of last night's games:
SMASH AND GRAB Leyton Orient climbed out of the bottom four with the
unlikeliest of victories on Thursday night against high-flying
Brentford.
In front of the Live Sky Sports cameras, the O’s were forced to defend
for long periods, before super sub, Ryan Brunt, popped up with a late
winner.
The big-spending Bees made all the early running and it was stand-in
keeper, Ryan Allsop, getting an extended run in the team due to Jamie
Jones’s continued absence, who stood between the O’s and a thrashing.
Martin Rowlands was close to opening the scoring for the O’s in the
second minute, but it was largely one-way traffic with Allsop doing
well to block several efforts from Clayton Donaldson, and a wickedly
inswinging Jake Bidwell free-kick.
Orient at least hit back after the break and the strangely quiet Dean
Cox teed up Lee Cook on 49 minutes, but Adam Forshaw made the faintest
of touches to deny the O’s an opening goal.
But, again Brentford laid siege on the Orient goal and sometime
‘kamikaze-type’ defending was required with Ben Chorley and skipper,
Nathan Clarke, outstanding.
On 69 minutes former Charlton man, Martin Hayes missed the Bees’ best
chance of the evening, firing wide from close range, and the O’s soon
made them pay when former Bee, Rowland’s, through ball from a
half-cleared Clarke throw, found Brunt, who did well to turn his
marker, Tony Craig, and slotted home the winner past Simon Moore.
Orient were forced to endure a tough last fifteen minutes and Allsop
again showed his mettle to deny a clean-through Donaldson, and said
post-match: ‘We had to ride our luck at times as we were under the
cosh in the first-half. We managed not to concede, which pushed us on
for the second-half and we got the goal – which I thought we deserved.
Two clean sheets for the defence is very much of a confidence booster.
It’s a very tight league with fine margins that win you or lose you
games – that little mistake can lose you a game – that bit of luck can
win you a game.’
Manager, Russell Slade, added: ‘It was a tough first-half as I thought
we were a bit edgy – possibly because the TV cameras were here - and
we were not getting to our opponents and giving them too much time on
the ball. But, we galvanized ourselves and it was a very competitive
game second-half and we came out on top in a tight game’.
Having gained their first home points, Slade added: ‘I think it was
‘key’ that we stayed in the game when we were under pressure. It is a
good Brentford side – and so it should be for the amount of money that
has been spent to put the side together. But, we stayed in there and
in the second-half we got competitive. There were great performances.
We defended really well. The centre-halves continue to make progress –
blocking and stopping things. We looked resolute at the back. In the
end, it was their back four that crumbled at the crucial time’.
Slade paid tribute to match winner Brunt: ‘I am very pleased for Ryan
as he hasn’t had too much time out on the pitch. He has started to
develop and the work [assistant manager] Kevin Nugent is doing with
him is starting to pay off. And, ‘lo and behold’ he gets the
all-important goal tonight. I am very pleased for the lad’.
Slade also praised Allsop: ‘It’s incredible – really. He has been
thrown in there. He wouldn’t be your first-choice keeper on paper.
But, he is not doing himself any harm. His hands have been really good
and his kicking is class. I am chuffed to bits that he decided to come
here and I think we’ve got a good goalkeeper’.
Orient will be facing one of Slade’s former clubs, Yeovil Town, this
Tuesday, (kick-off 7-45pm) and he concluded: ‘We must show that same
spirit, same attitude and see if we can dig another one out. Everyone
was saying before the game ‘what a great start Brentford had made’.
But, we are now two points behind them – with a game in hand’.
. Remember the days there would be 3-400 bees in that pub alone.
