25 September 2010

Leyton Orient 1 Brentford 0, 24/9/10

A game in which... Orient, by defeating the team who earlier in the week beat Everton, proved that they're Premier League class. Well, maybe not, but it was an efficient display and a very welcome three points. In truth, Orient's performance wasn't that different to the games against Huddersfield, Charlton or even West Brom. Like a hungry pensioner approaching the dinnner table without his false teeth, the Os made all the right moves towards the goal, without having much bite once they got there. Still, no complaints: the defence held firm, Scotty McGleish did this thing and we're off the bottom of the table. Rejoice.

Moment to savour... Matthew Spring's Hollywood pass in the first half, a cross-field 60-yarder straight to the feet of Dean Cox, one of the only Orient players able to control a ball in under four touches.

Head in hands moment... Spring again, two minutes later. Clearly delirious with excitement after the above pass, the midfielder attempted a first-time shot at goal from the halfway line. Safe to say it wasn't a David Beckham moment, although it wasn't as bad as a similar Loick Pires effort you can watch here.

King for a day... Elliot Omozusi. Yes, you did read that correctly. Although Ben Chorley was formidable in the centre of defence and Matthew Spring had probably his best game yet for the club - certainly in the first half - the honours have to go to the much-maligned right back. Although things didn't start well - forgetting Gary Alexander no longer plays for Orient he passed directly to him and then clumsily chopped him down - Omozusi got stronger and stronger until, in the final 15 minutes, he became the Os chief attacking threat down the right flank. It was almost like watching a slightly better Stephen Purches!

Boo boy... No one had a bad game, although Jimmy Smith should probably have done a bit better back in his natural position in midfield, as opposed to giving the ball directly to Brentford players with his first two passes, and then spooning a sitter in the final minutes.

In the dug out... Subdued to begin with, Big Russ was finally back to his old animated self by the closing minutes, running up the touchline to give the linesman a barrel-load of invective and then literally hopping up and down on the spot like a Duracell bunny as Orient nearly contrived to throw the game away in the final seconds.

You're supposed to be away... Considering this was a London derby, not too many Bees fans bothered to make the trip. Then again, think of all the other entertainment on offer in Brentford on a Friday night such as... Oh, hang on.

What would Martin Ling have done? Held a defiant post-match press conference in which he'd claim that, despite the doubters, he was right not to sign Nicky Adams. "I asked myself, is he really a better player than Derek Duncan? And the answer, as we saw tonight, is no."

Going down? It'll take a lot more than an edgy 1-0 home victory over a weary Brentford side to keep Orient up, but unless we can sort out our away form these are games we simply have to win. Looking on the bright side, we're only five points off the play-offs. The Championship here we come!
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