Orient crash out of cup

Wednesday, 18 November 2009

Leyton Orient 0-1 Tranmere Rovers - FA Cup First Round Replay

By Rowland Lyons at the Matchroom Stadium

LEYTON ORIENT made an early exit from the FA Cup after Tranmere Rovers became the latest side to inflict defeat on Geraint Williams’ beleaguered troops in this first round replay.

Ash Taylor hit the only goal of a game Orient dominated, but with a worrying lack of firepower, the east Londoners rarely troubled a stout Rovers defence.

Having been dumped out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy only a week beforehand and losing at the weekend at play-off hopefuls Hartlepool, the O’s have now gone six weeks without a win and must now concentrate on League One.

Williams made four changes from last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Hartlepool and welcomed back defender Tamika Mkandawire and midfielders Adam Chambers and JJ Melligan.

The east Londoners dominated the first-half but created few chances with only Scott McGleish stretching the defensively-minded Merseysiders with a 34th minute volley that brought a smart save from the under worked Rovers keeper, Luke Daniels.

It was much the same after the break, but again the O’s lacked a cutting edge up front, although substitute Ryan Jarvis was unlucky to see his 68th minute close-range pile driver parried by Daniels.

But, it took a needless 76th minute Jason Demetriou foul, and a lack concentration at the back that led to the only goal of the game when the 20-year old Taylor stole in at the back post and took advantage of a defensive mix-up from Shaleum Logan’s free-kick and slid home the winner past Glenn Morris from the narrowest of angles.

Orient soon hit back and Daniels made a smart save to deny James Scowcroft, but from the rebound Sean Thornton was adjudged to have fouled the visiting keeper and the O’s were denied a well-deserved equaliser.

A chorus of boos from an almost deserted stadium awaited the O’s and Williams said: “Obviously they are very disappointed with the result – nobody is happy when we are losing games – myself, the players, the Chairman and the fans.

“It was totally frustrating. To be fair to Tranmere it was the exact opposite of the game up at their place and they came with a 4-5-1 formation and tried to frustrate us – and they certainly did that and we were caught by the sucker punch – and it couldn’t have been anymore than the sucker punch it was.

Williams admitted: ‘It was a mistake that led to the goal – one of our defenders made a mistake – but it was petulance that gave the free-kick away in the first place.

‘It was Tranmere’s plan to sit in and frustrate; we didn’t really do enough to break them down and create clear-cut chances. It’s disappointing and awkward to play against – but it’s being resolute and trying to see if we could break them down – but on the night we couldn’t do it.”

Williams will now have to rally his troops and hope they don’t get caught up in a relegation dogfight and added: ‘It’s all you can do now is to look forward to Saturday. This game has gone, we’ve lost it, we’re out of the FA Cup and we’ve got the same opposition here on Saturday. If they do the same thing again, we will have to find a way of breaking them down.”

An equally disappointed Thornton said: “We’ve just not been taking our chances in the last few games and we have given away two easy goals – tonight and last Saturday – we just can’t afford to do that.

“It was a stupid foul that led to their goal – a sloppy goal – and I can’t remember any of the chances they had – and it was just down to a mistake.

“The fans are entitled to moan as they pay their money – but we are all down and we just have to pick ourselves up. I am glad the next game is coming up quickly - it’s a chance for us to put things right and get our confidence up.”

*Orient entertain Tranmere again this Saturday (kick-off 3pm) and travel to runaway league leaders, Leeds United, next Tuesday (kick-off 7.45pm).

How they lined up:

Leyton Orient: Glenn Morris – Stephen Purches (Adrian Patulea 86), Tamika Mkandawire, Ben Chorley, Charlie Daniels – JJ Melligan (Ryan Jarvis 68), Sean Thornton, Jason Demetriou – James Scowcroft, Scott McGleish.
Subs (not used): Jamie Jones (GK), Andrew Cave-Brown, Luke Ashworth, Loick Pires, Jimmy Smith.

Tranmere Rovers: Luke Daniels – Shaleum Logan, Ian Goodison, Paul McLaren, Zoumana Bakayogo – Chris Shuker, Ash Taylor, Marlon Broomes, Charlie Barnett, Ian Thomas-Moore - Craig Curran.
Subs (not used): Aaron Cresswell, Terry Gornell, Kithson Bain, Tom Baker, Joe Collister (GK), Michael Ricketts, Ryan Fraughan.

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