Awaydays 25/26 – Tamworth

Our latest away trip saw us unusually, thanks to TNT Sports, playing on a Monday night as we got our FA Cup campaign underway in Staffordshire. When the draw was made I was happy on a personal note as it was a new ground, but also worried as it had ‘Shock’ written all over it.

What was the journey like?
Tamworth can be reached easily from Euston, with frequent trains by both Avanti and London Northwestern (The latter being far cheaper, but takes a bit longer).

What are the pubs like?
I was looking forward to trying the famous Tamworth Tap, but was disappointed to learn that it doesn;t open on Mondays. With that in mind we ate at the Wetherspoons (Boring I know) then headed to the Sir Robert Peel and The Bank House. Neither disappointed and are both definitely worth a visit.

What is the ground like?
The Lamb is a good old non-league ground. It’s around a ten minute walk from the town, and with segregation in place for this game we were given a terrace behind the goal. Not the best view in the world, but it did the job.

What was the team?
Given the reservations around the pitch and the possibility of injuries etc it was a surprisingly strong team named, with Cahill keeping his regular spot in goal and Koroma, Ballard and Connolly providing the attacking threat. Phil Chinedu was on the bench following his recall from Wealdstone.

First Half
After just a couple of minutes Orient conceded a throw that was within the infamous ‘Long throw range’ of the hosts (For the uninitiated Tom Tonks can land a ball in the box from pretty much anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere). Tamworth however took a quick short throw and worked the ball into the box which was slotted home but the flag was up to give Orient a huge reprieve. The rest of the half was pretty uneventful as Orient dominated possession but created virtually little, and Tamworth tried to make the most of set pieces. Cahill however did need to be at his best right on the stroke of half time when he had to pull off a fine stop following a corner. I’m pretty sure by this point most neutrals watching on TNT had switched over to Sunderland v Everton though.

Second Half
The second half continued in the same vein, until Wellens rolled the dice replacing a yet again ineffective Koroma with Sonny Perkins. After 79 minutes this change was to pay dividends when Perkins put a ball into the box and it skimmed off the head of Digie and into his own net for what was to be the decider in an instantly forgettable match.

Summary
These games are about one thing – making sure you get through. It wasn’t pretty, but we did just that even though we had a slice of fortune with the winning goal. I also thought the much-maligned Orient defence help up well against the barrage of long throws from Tonks, and it was good to see another clean sheet. On the downside we created very little, although that’s probably to be expected on that pitch. Obviously we knew before the game that Salford away was the ‘prize’ on offer, so off we head there in the next round.

Next Up
Next up we head to Wycombe for another game rearranged to suit the TV companies. I’ve decided to drop that one out due to a number of factors, which I won’t go into here. Let’s just say I’m losing the ‘buzz’ with it all at the moment, and even though it’s a local one I need to take a step back. I’m not sure when the next blog will be, as I’m unsure if I will be at Burton or Barnsley either (Then again the lure of the pubs in Burton will probably tempt me in the end)

Awaydays 25/26 – Rotherham

Following on from a very impressive victory at home to Doncaster we took on another Yorkshire team as we headed to Rotherham. Traditionally this is not a happy hunting ground for us, and you have to go all the way back to 1999 for Orient’s last victory, which was a 1-0 win at their old ground Millmoor. With Orient having lost both of their previous visits to the new stadium this was a chance to end that sequence (Spoiler alert – you can guess where this is heading)

What was the journey like?

If you are travelling to Rotherham by train then your choices are to either change at Sheffield or Doncaster. We opted for Doncaster, but theres not much in it. Once you arrive at the station the stadium and the town centre all all a short walk away.

What are the pubs like?

If you want to have a drink then my recommendation would be either the New York Tavern or the Cutlers Arms (Both of which are around a ten minute walk to the ground). This time we opted for the New York Tavern which is a proper football pub with plenty of real ale on tap (Including one named after the Millers themselves)

What is the ground like?

I mentioned in my blog last season that I am a fan of the New York stadium and I would be very happy if our new ground was built in the same vein. With the stands being built with a steep rake you get a decent view as well as being on top of the action. Also, unusually for me, I actually chose to eat in the ground. The pie, mash, peas & gravy is amongst the best food I have had in a football stadium.

What was the team?

The team was pretty much as expected following the news that REG was the latest long term injury victim. Cahill kept his place in goal following his clean sheet against Doncaster, and Ballard, Connolly and Wellens would provide the stacking outlets.

First Half

The first half was, quite frankly, awful. There was little sign of the confident football that we saw against Doncaster, and instead we were ‘treated’ to a half of football that you would feel ripped off even if you had a complimentary ticket

Second Half

The second half was basically a continuation of the first, and it soon became apparent that whoever managed to find a way to break the deadlock would walk away with all 3 points. That team happened to be Rotherham, as a long looping ball into the box ended up being headed home by the substitute Nombe. After this Orient finally decided to wake up. They started to build up pressure and create some chances until (another) substitution debacle. Not for the first time this season the desperate measure of making 4 changes at once reared it’s ugly head, but this time it took an age to get the subs onto the pitch as nobody from the officials to the management team on the sideline appeared to know what was going on. Orients best chance to equalise fell to one of the subs Perkins who, unsurprisingly, snatched at his effort and dragged it well wide. Orient had a succession of corners but couldn’t find a way past a resolute defence.

Summary

A poor day at the office is an understatement. We were abysmal all over the pitch, and a complete contrast to the flowing attacking football we saw against Doncaster last week. The ‘throwing the players under the bus’ also reared it’s ugly head again, with the defenders and Aaron Connolly joining the ever growing list of players that are being slammed publicly by the manager after games. The way it’s going there will only be select few players that won’t have membership of that particular club. It’s very much one step forward and two steps back at the moment, as we are once again peering over our shoulders at the relegation places seeing as we only sit two points outside the relegation zone. However as last season showed, it’s all about where you are in May rather than October.

Next Up

Next up we face an in form Lincoln at home, before travelling to Tamworth for a Monday night cup game on a horrendous 3G pitch. Hopefully we can get through that without any more injuries. See you there.

Awaydays 25/26 – Cardiff

Our latest trip saw us heading into South Wales to take on one of the favourites to win the division – Cardiff City. It was one I was highly looking forward to seeing as it’s the only new ground for me in League One this season, and takes me one step closer to the elusive 92.

What was the journey like?
Cardiff is an easy one by train, with direct trains every hour from Paddington, and the station being right in the centre of the city.

What were the pubs like?
There are a plethora of pubs to choose from in Cardiff, so you should be able to find something for all tastes. We opted, after a recommendation, for the Queens Vaults which is opposite the Principality Stadium (A venue that most Orient fans would like to forget). It was a decent enough pub with a good real ale selection and the food was good too.

What is the ground like?
The ground is a 25-30 minute walk from the city centre, although there is a local train stop (Ninian Park) close by. In days gone by I was a big fan of trips to the old Ninian Park (Which was situated across the road to the new stadium) due to the intimidating atmosphere. However the new ground, as good a ground as it is, just didn’t replicate that (particularly with it being half empty). The views from the away end are good though, and it’s definitely a ground that should be hosting Championship or higher football.

What was the team?
There was, yet again, numerous changes to the starting eleven with the like of Adamarola and Bakinson suddenly coming back in from the cold. With Koroma being dropped to the bench it was left to Connolly and Ballard to lead the attacking line.

First Half
From the off it was clear that both defences were going to struggle with the strong crosswind. Orient did have the better of the opening exchanges, but found Trott in fine form in the home goal to deny them. After 20 minutes however the hosts took the lead when the Orient defence switched off (Shock) and Robinson was left to run clear and slot past Simkin. Orient took the game back to the hosts though, and Connolly levelled things up when he pounced onto a poor ball and calmly slotted home. Both sides had chances to go ahead before the interval, but neither could take them as the half ended level.

Second Half
Orient started the second half strongly and Ballard was denied what would have been an excellent goal, with Trott pulling off an outstanding save after Ballard had weaved his way through the defence. Orient came even closer a minute later when Connolly saw his deflected shot hit the post. Almost instantly Cardiff took the lead when Lawlor was allowed to run half the length of the pitch before an effort that really should have been saved was allowed to squeeze into the bottom corner. Orient restored parity almost immediately though, when El Mizouni saw his effort take two deflections and finally fins it’s way past Trott. It wasn’t long before Orient took the lead, when Ballard curled an unstoppable effort into the top corner. This is the point in the match where you say “Don’t do anything stupid”. Of course the Orient defence responded with “Hold my beer” as they gifted Cardiff two simple goals in as many minutes. Wellens finally made some substituitions, although when they finally arrived they were bizarre to say the least. A tiring Connolly was left on and Ballard replaced despite looking relatively fresh, and instead of Koroma entering the fray it ended up being Abdulai instead. Orient still pushed for an equaliser though, but with Trott in inspired form it was not to be as Cardiff ran out winners in a very entertaining encounter.

Summary
Our defensive unit is not good enough, it’s as simple as that. We have now conceded the most goals in the division, and every time a team attacks us they look like scoring. On multiple occasions already this season we have found ourselves needing to score 3 or 4 goals just to get a draw. No matter how good the front three are (and I think they are very good for this level) that is a situation that cannot be allowed to continue. Performance wise it wasn’t too bad (It’s not often you see an away team have 26 shots at the promotion favourites), but a collective horror show from the defence and goalkeeper meant all that good work went to waste.

Next Up
Next league games are Doncaster at home followed by a trip to Rotherham, and you have to say we have to bring home maximum points from at least one of them before we get stuck in this rut for too long. Cahill 90th minute header against Doncaster to get the season going anyone? See you there.

Awaydays 25/26 – Reading 2-1 Orient

Our latest away trip saw us undertake the short hop into Berkshire to take on Reading.

What was the journey like?
It’s one of the easier ones to get to from London, with frequent trains from Paddington and a journey that is under 30 minutes. However the main train station is nowhere near the ground, so it’s either the football special bus or the train to Reading Green Park for a 15 minute walk to the ground.

What were the pubs like?
In my opinion there’s only one place to head (pardon the pun) and thats the excellent Nags Head. It has a fine selection of real ales, and even has it’s own dedicated bus to the football ground. There was also a healthy crowd of Orient regulars in too.

What is the ground like?
The ground is standard for the ‘Out of town’ bowl type grounds that were built around the same time. The views are excellent but the atmosphere is lacking, particularly when they are only half full.

What was the team?
There were a few forced changed due to the injury situation, with Simpson partnering Beckles at the back, and Sonny Perkins coming in on the wing.

First Half
Orient had the better of the opening stages but, as is becoming a trend, they failed to score when on top early on. (That is genuinely copied and pasted from the last blog I did at Mansfield, and I feel that won’t be the last time). Orient fell behind when Reading, with their first real chance of the game, broke and Marriot’s soft effort somehow evaded Simpkin and found the bottom corner. Reading were now well on top, and a couple of smart stops from Simpkin stopped them extending their lead. The obligatory defensive injury curse struck again, with Beckles having to go off around the half hour mark, and REG having to come in. The score somehow remained at 1-0 when Orient cleared one off the line before a bizarre incident when Ahmed produced the most blatant deliberate handball you are going to see, but the referee opted not to book him for it. Of course with Wellens being Wellens his over the top protests ended up with him being booked instead.

Second Half
It was clear to see that there had been a ‘Richie Rocket’ at half time as a rejuvinated Orient took the game to the hosts and El Mizouni scored a fantastic individual effort to pull us back level. Just two minutes later Perkins missed a golden opportunity to level when he was put through by Mitchell’s esxcellent pass, but he never looked confident and his weak effort was easily saved. Orient were well on top, but didn’t really look like scoring, and then the old Achilles heel of not being able to defend the box reared it’s ugly head. A simple ball forward wasn’t dealt with and Frasers shot deflected past Simpkin. With ten minutes of stoppage time Orient tried to force an equaliser, but a deflected effort from Charlie Wellens was the closest they came.

Summary
I’ve seen a lot of people bemoaning a bad ‘performance’. I don’t think the performance was bad, we were just poor in both boxes (Not for the first time this season). Some of the play, particularly in transition, was a joy to watch and Reading were carved open at will on occasion. The old frailties reared their ugly head though, with poor choices/finishing at the sharp end and a frustrating inability to defend basic balls into the box. If we can address those then you would expect things to click. If we can’t address them then I fear we will be looking behind us every week rather than further up the table.

Next Up
Next up we have Stevenage at home in another enthralling treat for the Sky viewers, before one of the most anticipated trips of the season into Wales to take on Cardiff. See you there.

Awaydays 25/26 – Mansfield 4-1 Orient

Hot on the heels of a hard fought win at Plymouth we headed off to Mansfield for another tough looking fixture.

What was the journey like?
The journey was fine if you don’t mind families playing Uno and slamming the cards on the table as hard they can, but then moaning because those pesky football fans dared to have a drink on the train. We used the East Midlands from St Pancras, with a short changeover at Nottingham to a local train into Mansfield.

What were the pubs like?
We started off at The Swan, which bizarrely allowed away fans in, and then started asking some to leave after being served, stating that “We know what the Stags fans can be like”. We weren’t affected by that, but it seemed an odd thing to do. The food was ok, if a bit pricey for a ‘chain’ style pub. After that we headed off to a Peaky Blinders themed pub called, unsurprisingly, The Garrison. This was a decent pub with lots of Peaky Blinder theming and a decent set of real ales on offer for those that like that sort of thing.

What is the ground like?
The ground is close to the station and just a few minutes walk (A bit further if you decide to go into town for a drink). Away fans get the stand behind the goal (Nearest the station) which gives a decent view. This year Mansfield have also opened the Bishop Street stand after it being out of action for as long as I remember, and seeing that full was certainly better than the old advertising boards that were there before.

What was the team?
Following on from Plymouth, and Wellens recently speaking about tiredness within the squad I was expecting a few changes, but in the end there was only the one change with Moorhouse coming in for Jaiyesimi.

First Half
Orient had the better of the opening stages but, as is becoming a trend, they failed to score when on top early on. Orient fell behind when O’Neill was dispossessed by Hendry who then sent an outrageous effort over Simpkin from the halfwayline which nestled into the back of the net. You could claim a foul, you could say that O’Neill should be stronger, and it looks different depending on the angle you view the replay. Either way you have to take your hat off to a fantastic strike. 15 minutes later Mansfield doubled their lead when a cross evaded everyone but again someone said Hendry’s name and he appeared to slot home at the back post. Orient did get a goal back before halftime though when Koroma was strong to head home from a corner.

Second Half
It was a scrappy start to the second half as there were numerous free kicks that disrupted the flow of the game. One of these saw El Mizouni go into the book and then Simkin had to make a good save to deny Hendry a third. Orient then, alarmingly not for the first time this season, made four changes as James, Simpson, Abdulai and Mitchell replaced Adaramola, Happe, Craig and Moorhouse. Orient immediately had a bright spell following the changes before falling 3-1 behind when Will Evans scored for the hosts. Any hope of a comeback disappeared a couple of minutes after when El Mizouni picked up a second yellow card for a stupid challenge. After this is was just a case of how many Mansfield would win by, although it took them until deep into stoppage time to add a fourth through Bolton.

Summary
Not for the first time this season, which is concerning given it’s still August, is was a ‘shocking day at the office’. After Huddersfield Wellens mentioned that some players “gave up”, and that was certainly the case again at Mansfield. I would imagine that some of these players will be heading for a stay on Boco Island if they don’t buck their ideas up. The good thing is that it’s still very early days. We all know how last season panned out after losing the first few games. My concern is that even in that early period last season the performances were there, but we were undone by individual mistakes. This season however it’s the opposite and, Wigan and the comeback against Stockport apart, the performances haven’t been there. Even the win at Plymouth was an ‘ugly’ one and not a winning performance (Even though winning ugly when needed is a good trait to have). We have a week on the training ground before our next outing to put things right, and hopefully we’ll see a new face to freshen up the front line and give Connolly a rest before the window shuts.

Next Up
Next up we have Northampton at home, and a chance to bounce back, before a trip to Peterborough in the pointless cup and then a trip to Port Vale which will likely be off due to internationals.. Hopefully there will be some players fired up and wanting to ‘prove a point’ against Northampton. See you there.

Awaydays 25/26 – Huddersfield 3-0 Orient

With a new season upon us I have decided to shake up the format of my blogs – feedback is appreciated (Good or bad).

What was the journey like?
As per the last trip to Huddersfield at the end of last season there were no trains calling at Huddersfield. We had to get a rail replacement from Leeds which was well organised, even though there was little to no indication of where to actually get the bus at Leeds.

What were the pubs like?
We only went to one pub – the excellent Head of Steam at the station. They had a good range of drinks, and is definitely one for the real ale fan. They also did excellent Pieminister pies.

What is the ground like?
The ground is around a 15 minute walk from the station. Given that our last visit here was only 3 months prior it’s not surprising that there were very few changes other than another new sponsor that very few (if any) people had heard of.

What was the team?
Given the injuries to a few of the new signings the team was nowhere near what we would term as our strongest eleven, with numerous fringe players given a chance to stake a claim for a first team place.

What was the first half like?
From the off you could see that Huddersfield were going to be on the front foot under their new manager, although Connolly almost gave Orient the lead when his solo effort hit the post and he was unable to convert the rebound. Huddersfield then went straight down the other end and struck the post themselves with Simkin well beaten. Just two minutes later Huddersfield took the lead when Low had the simplest of headers when he was left unmarked from a free kick. Huddersfield were well on top and it took a good clearance from James to prevent May doubling their lead. The hosts carried on piling on the pressure and looked the most likely to score a second, although before half time Orient did start to get back into the game.

What was the second half like?
There was a change at half time with Ollie O’Neill replacing Sonny Perkins as Orient looked for a way back into the game. Again though it was the hosts who always looked like extending their lead with Simkin having to be at his best to deny Wiles. It wasn’t long before Huddersfield did indeed extend their lead when May sent Simkin the wrong way from the spot to score Huddersfield first home penalty in 1984 days! Huddersfield had their tails up now and Simkin again had to be at his best to deny May a second before Orient decided to make four substitutions. James, Clare, Bakinson and Abdulai all departed as Simpson, Obiero, White and Moorhouse (The latter two making their debuts after signing recently on loan) entered the fray. In truth the changes had no effect as Huddersfield kept their hold on the game, and it was no surprise that as we entered nine minutes of stoppage time Roosken had the freedom of Yorkshire to tap home a third.

Summary
It certainly wasn’t a good day at the office, although the hyperbole from some quarters on social media was a bit OTT. It’s rare that a completely new team hits the ground running from the off, and with the amount of injuries we already have to new signings it’s definitely a ‘work in progress’. One concerning thing though was the post-match comment from Wellens that some players had “Given up”. If he genuinely believes that, and it wasn’t a heat of the moment comment, then he’s got his work cut out on the training ground. I wouldn’t want to be those players on Monday morning.

Next Up
Next up we have three successive home games before the trips to Plymouth and Mansfield. I wont be at Plymouth (Part timer, not a real fan etc etc) so next blog will be from Mansfield. See you there.

Orient Away 24/25 – Charlton (Wembley)

It was a heart breaking defeat at Wembley in 2014 that inspired me to start doing this blog. The fall and rise of the club since then have been documented elsewhere much better than I could have done, but this was the day where we went full circle back to where it all began.

In the build up to the match I often cast my mind back to that day at Wembley – the goal that Revell could attempt another 100 times and not score, the poor game management in the second half, the heart-breaking penalty defeat – and all I could think was “I hope they don’t come out of there with any regrets”

The Wembley experience for me is not a great one. I know you could look at it and (Spoiler alert) say “You would say that as Orient always lose”, but I’ve found it the same when I’ve been for NFL and England games. You get ‘allocated’ pubs, some of which charge you for the privilege of just walking through the door, all of them charging through the nose for a poor selection of drinks. One of the pubs even had a sign on the door saying “Leyton fans only” – tells you all you need to know. Best avoided.

We opted for seats on Level 2, and to be fair we had a cracking view. Then again at £60 for a third-tier football match it bloody well should do.

I’m not going to dwell too much on the game, other than to say what a huge missed opportunity it was. In the first half we tried, and failed miserably, to beat Charlton at their own game. Their goal predictably came from a set piece, but rather less predictably it was from a shot that Keeley probably should have saved. I’m not going to join in the pile-on from some quarters on that – you can count on one hand this season the amount of times you can honestly say “He should have done better”

In the second half we played more of ‘Our’ game as we got the ball down and started utilizing the flanks etc. Truth be told though, apart from a spell which saw Currie have a shot deflected wide and Donley have one deflected on to the bar, we didn’t look like scoring even though we registered 16 attempts. The fact that only one of those attempts was on target, and that came deep into stoppage time, tells you all you need to know about the quality of them. The game being disrupted for ten minutes with yet another ‘Equipment failure’ didn’t help matters, but even without that I doubt we would have scored.

It might be a strange thing to say, but as the final whistle went I didn’t feel as gutted as I did back in 2014. I did think though, that they will be walking out of there with quite a few regrets. It was a huge opportunity missed as Charlton didn’t play well, and didn’t have much of an attacking threat, but we didn’t do nearly enough on the day. Particularly as we only really turned up once they went a goal ahead. With all that said I hope the Charlton fans enjoy the championship. The Valley is a championship stadium and Charlton shouldn’t be a League One club anyway.

I made a comment on social media about it being a small club mentality, and it caused a bit of a stir so I’ll expand a bit further here. All week long the sole focus seems to have been “We’ve made it to Wembley” as if that in itself was the big prize. Very similar to 2014. And 2001 (Albeit that was Cardiff). And 1999. Yes I’m sure plenty of people had a great day out (evident by the fact that, just like that Rotherham game, there were people laughing and joking on the way out of the stadium saying they can go back to supporting their own club now etc) but at some point we have got to go in with the mentality to win it rather than ‘Enjoying the day on the big stage’. I’m not aiming that at anyone in particular, and given where we were in December it’s nothing short of a miracle that we were even there, but if we really are not “Little Leyton Orient” any more as the club like to keep reminding us then that mindset has got to change.

So where do we go from here? It’s obvious that Donley and Keeley will return to Spurs, Currie will go back to Oxford and Kelman will go back to QPR. Had we gone up we might have stood a chance of a couple of them being back next season, but I think that ship has sailed now. There will also be a lot of players out of contract, as well as the likelihood of Galbraith being sold, so it’s going to be a big summer recruitment wise. With the amount of clubs still on the hunt for a manager it’s possible that Wellens could also have jis head turned should a decent enough offer come his way. I can’t imagine we will be ‘Throwing the cash around’ in the summer, but I would hope that with the increased investment from Mr Gandler we would be able to see some shrewd recruitment., especially as we have several key positions that will need filling. I have a feeling it will be an interesting summer.

I’ll wrap up for this season with a few personal stats:

Matches Attended – 51 (27 Home, 23 Away, 1 Neutral). Of those only 28 were 3pm kickoff on a Saturday. Match Outcomes – 23 wins, 10 draws, 18 defeats.
Goals Seen – 133 (76 for, 57 against)
Total Attendance – 496164
Approx Miles Travelled – 6049
Approx Money Spent – £6000

All that’s left is to thank everyone for reading this seasons ramblings. I hope everyone has a good summer, enjoys whatever holidays they have planned, and return rejuvenated ready for another crack at it next season. See you then.

Orient Away 24/25 – Stockport (Playoffs)

If I had told you on the 2nd December, with Orient sitting 21st in the table with just 15 points after 16 games, that in May I would be writing about us being in the playoffs you would have probably laughed. Or called me insane. Or both. Nevertheless – here we are. We headed to Stockport with honours even after what can only be called a questionable performance by the officials. The Kelman ‘offside’ incident, and the various penalty calls etc have already been done to death elsewhere, so I’ll leave it there.

Whilst most Orient fans headed for the designated away pub (The Nelson) we opted to drink in the same pub as last time (Superstitions and all that) which was The Wellington. It’s a quirky boozer but it’s definitely worth a visit.

This was my tenth visit to Edgeley Park, a ground that we have done well at in recent seasons (including an emphatic 4-1 win in September), although this was obviously the most important. We were housed in the same part of the ground as we were then, with a fair few more Orient fans making the journey.

The Starting XI was a much better one than the first leg, with the badly missed Currie and Brown coming back into the team. Before the game I commented that we would need a strong start to try and keep the home crowd quiet. It doesn’t get much stronger than Ollie O’Neill firing past Addai with your first attack! Cue bedlam in the away end. This immediately fired the hosts up as they started to ramp up the pressure with balls into the box. Donley and Touray both went into the book as the match turned physical, althugh Moxon somehow escaped punishment for a bad tackle on Clare. It was an intriguing first half with Stockport, and Horsfall in particular getting a lot of joy from set pieces which the Orient defence couldn’t cope with. Just before half time Orient almost doubled their lead but Kelman’s header hit the underside of the crossbar before bouncing to safety.

At half time I unfortunately missed a message over the PA which was kindly arranged by the Stockport supporting family of a dear friend who I recently lost. Hopefully Bill was looking down enjoying the scenes.

The second half saw Stockport ramp up the pressure as they looked for an equaliser. Brown and Beckles both went into the book, before Jack Currie produced probably the best bit of defending I have seen all season. Having gone down, he managed to get back up with a recovering tackle and to top it all off win the goal kick. That was to be his last action of the night as he then had to be replaced by Tom James. Shortly after Orient made another change with Williams replacing a tiring O’Neill. On 74 minutes however it was time for the tension to be turned up a few notches as Olaofe flicked home an equaliser for the hosts. Abdulai replaced Agyei, but it soon became apparent that this would be a case of Orient trying to hold on for extra time. With just one minute of stoppage time left to play Olaofe somehow spurned a golden chance to send Stockport to Wembley. Beckles misjudged a ball forward but Olaofe lost all composure and blazed over the bar.

The first half of extra time was, predictably, played at a slower pace. It was however Stockport who were piling on the pressure as the Orient backline held firm. The second half of extra time fell into the pattern of Stockport pushing forward, and Orient trying to catch them on the counter. The chances were arriving thick and fast for the hosts, with Horsfall, Moxon and Bailey all having chances. With Orient hanging on Keeley produced a superb save to deny Horsefall again, before a heart in mouth moment when Bailey struck the outside of the post in the 120th minute with Keeley well beaten.

Somehow Orient had got it through to penalties. Stockport fans will be left scratching their heads wondering how, but thats the price of not taking your chances. Both James and Norwood confidently scored the first penalty for each side before the night started to turn Orients way. With Clare having given us a 2-1 lead Keeley got down well to save from Jack Diamond. Then with Abdulai having scored his penalty Rydel saw his effort come off the inside of the post. This left Orient in the position of knowing that if Gailbrath scored we were off to Wembley. He did and, in keeping with our record of reaching the final every time we’ve qualified for the playoffs, we are.

The away end at this match was probably the best away end I have been in. The Orient fans didn’t stop singing all night, and the celebrations will live long in the memory. The two playoff games were really good games too, and in a lot of ways both of them would have made a fitting final. Now that it has all sunk in and the heart rate has come down a bit, focus now turns to a certain day at Wembley.

We couldn’t, could we?

Orient Away 24/25 – Huddersfield

It only seems like two minutes ago we were heading across the water for the first away game at Charlton, yet here we found ourselves heading up to Yorkshire for the final match of the regular season. There’s been a lot of ups and downs since that match at the Valley. At one stage it looked like we might be dragged into a relegation scrap, but after a phenomenal turnaround we found ourselves in the position of only having to match the result of Reading to confirm a place in the playoffs.

Getting there is usually straightforward with just the one change at Leeds. However with no trains calling at Huddersfield the extra step of a replacement bus from Brighouse was introduced. If you want to grab a drink before the game then my recommendations are the Head of Steam at the station, or The Sportsman Beerhouse just around the corner. We opted for the second one, which also had a takeaway in the beer garden that served cracking burgers.

The John Smiths stadium hasn’t changed much since our last visit in 2011. I still call it a ‘new’ ground even though it is over 30 years old now, and this was my ninth visit with Orient. The views are excellent and the curved stands ensure it retains a bit of character and isn’t just a soulless bowl. It’s also a short 10-15 minute walk from the station too which is an added bonus.

With the importance of the match it was no surprise that there were no changes from the team that beat Wycombe the previous week. Of course it would have been typical Orient to start poorly and let in an early goal, but as we have seen on numerous times this season, this isn’t a typical Orient team. Instead it was Orient who took the early lead when a poor backpass from Josh Koroma (Always liked him – one of our own etc) was intercepted by Donley who unselfishly squared for Agyei to finish. A few minutes later Orient had Brandon Cooper to thank for the scores staying level as he come up with a massive block to deny Taylor. Orient went straight down the end and Agyei almost added a second as he rattled the bar atfer Huddersfield were opened up again. By this time Orient were well on top, and had another couple of chances to extend their lead before a deflected cross from Agyei somehow ended up in the Terriers net to give Orient a two goal lead. This seemed to wake Huddersfield up, and Keeley had to get down well to save from Evans as the hosts started to pile on the pressure. Just as it looked like Orient would see it out to half-time with a two goal advantage Huddersfield pulled a goal back when Koroma (Always hated him – bastard) somehow got the better of Beckles to head home. With things getting heated Paul Terry got sent to the stands following an altercation with Taylor, who himself also picked up a yellow card shortly after.

At half time there was a hint of nervousness around an away end that was all of a sudden wondering if/when such a comfortable position was going to be thrown away. This is where the not being typical Leyton Orient would come into play again, as just 3 minutes after the restart Orient extended their lead when Dan Agyei bent an outstanding effort into the far corner to send the 2300 travelling fans wild behind the goal. Shortly after this the news filtered through that Barnsley had taken the lead at Reading, and the Huddersfield fans looked slightly bemused at the away end belting out “We all love Barnsley”. A few minutes after this Barnsley doubled their advantage as the mood began to turn from nerves to celebration. There was a nice moment too when Jonathan Hogg was replaced in his final match to a round of applause from the entire stadium. With the news that Reading had conceded a third to Barnsley still making it’s way around the away end Orient wrapped up the points when Galbraith broke away and placed an exquisite cross on to the head of Abdulai to complete the rout. There was however still time for Jamie Donley to try and recreate his Man City moment, although he was unable to beat the keeper despite a good effort from the halfway line.

The final whistle went and, for only the second time in nearly 40 years of supporting Orient, we had finished as high as the League One playoffs. The trip home turned out to be an interesting one, as there were no trains from Brighouse to Leeds. Luckily our friends Adam and Laurie came to our rescue by sorting us out some cabs to get back to Leeds. Our attention now turns to two games against Stockport for the chance of a trip to Wembley, something which you would have got good money on in November when Orient lost at home to Huddersfield and were in the relegation places. Let’s get behind the boys and maybe, just maybe, when I write the next blog we’ll be daring to dream. See you there.

Orient Away 24/25 – Cambridge

Following on from the dramatic comeback against Barnsley we rounded off a crucial Easter period with the short trip to Cambridge. Due to it’s proximity to London and the fact the ground is a long walk from Cambridge station this is one that a lot of people opt to drive to. If you do go by train however there are numerous decent pub options in the town centre, although you should be prepared to undertake the 30-40 minute walk to the ground or jump in a taxi. We opted for the excellent Cambridge Blue which offered a good selection of real ales and also a decent selection of spirits. If you’re a Whiskey drinker then this is definitely the bar for you.

The Abbey Stadium is badly in need of modernisation. They’ve moved the away fans out of the one ”modern’ stand now and into the awful Habbin terrace. They’ve also stuck a temporary contraption with some seats in on this terrace too. Home fans get the rest of the Habbin terrace, as well as a covered terrace behind the goal, the original ‘Main’ stand and the stand which used to be the away stand behind the goal.

With the effort levels that went into the Barnsley fightback it was unsurprising to see a couple of changes to the starting lineup with Markanday and Clare both coming in. Orient, not for the first time in recent weeks, were slow out of the blocks in a dull opening period. This culminated with Stokes bundling the ball home to give Cambridge the lead, although there looked to be a foul on Brown which wasn’t spotted. It was hoped that this would wake up the visitors, but the rest of the half followed the same pattern as Cambridge successfully deployed the low block and saw the half out without any real danger to their goal.

It was no surprise that there were changes at half time, with Agyei and Jaiyesimi replacing the completely anonymous pair of Markanday and Williams. Orient immediately saw an upturn in attacking fortunes as Agyei started to cause the Cambridge backline problems. After 67 minutes Orient’s pressure finally paid off when a cross from Agyei was headed home by Kelman. After 78 minutes Jamie Donley produced a moment of magic to fire Orient ahead when he turned and fired into the bottom corner from just outside the box. Cambridge, needing a win to have any chance of avoiding relegation suddenly seemed to start pushing forward as Orient sat deeper. Agyei was presented with a half-chance to seal the points when Stevens slipped taking a free kick, but he was unable to find the target from the halfway line. Orient saw out the 6 minutes of stoppage time without too much drama to stay in the playoff places and virtually condemn Cambridge to relegation.

This result meant it was 4 wins in a row for Orient, having gone behind in all 4 matches. You can’t fault the spirit, but the slow start to games must be a concern to Wellens and the management team. With Bolton and Huddersfield now dropping out of the playoff race it is a straight shootout between ourselves and Reading for that final spot. Our superior goal difference could be the deciding factor in what is sure to be a dramatic end to the season. Next up we face Wycombe at home as Reading travel to Bristol Rovers, then we head to Huddersfield as Reading play Barnsley on the final day. Hopefully after my next blog I’ll be writing about how we’re looking forward to the playoffs.