Leyton Orient v Northampton Town - Match Report

With Leyton Orient now safe from the drop, Geraint William's men could breath a sigh of relief in today's game after an impressive string of results fit for a club pushing for promotion. Northampton Town, on the other hand, had it all to play for - and with two games in hand compared to the cluster of teams around them, were in desperate need of points.

The game began slowly, with neither side being able to string together any real threats, and it took 10 minutes for Northampton's Andy Holt to deliver the first menacing ball. Threaded through to target man Adebayo Akinfenwa, the striker could do little to trouble the keeper before Jamie Jones pounced on the ball. The first 25 minutes were all Northampton, with a string of chances having a few O's with tails between legs as the away team were picking up steam. A through ball on the 13th minute by Luke Guttridge split the O's defence apart, allowing Akinfenwa a route toward goal before Jordan Spence quickly intercepted the ball at the pivotal moment. 8 minutes later, a long range effort by defender Jason Crowe from 35 yards had Jones momentarily worried, however as the ball drifted just wide of the post Jones always looked like he had it covered.
Northampton were slowly decreasing their pressure, as the O's began to regain confidence after a shaky start. A moment of magic on the 25th minute then occurred. Orient's Dean Morgan was unfairly brought down on the left flank, allowing Sean Thornton to deliver a pacy inswinger from 45 yards out toward goal. Clever footwork from frontman Scott Mcgleish had his marker scrambling around the 6 yard box, eventually heading the ball into his own goal whilst Cobbler's keeper Chris Dunn helpless watched the ball sail into the back of the net.
Perhaps undeserved, the goal was well planned, and was a definite turning point in the game. On the 27th minute, Northampton almost grabbed an immediate equaliser. Midfielder Ikechi Anya - quiet until now - fizzed a powerful ball across the Orient box, with Holt arriving on the far post connecting perfectly with the ball yet managed to find the wrong side of the post, the ball trickling inches wide.
The 29th minute almost resulted in a 2-0 scoreline. Orient's JJ Melligan whipped in an inswinger towards Mcgleish, meeting the ball superbly to require Cobbler's Mark Hughes into making a sliding tackle to redirect the ball around the post, whilst stranded keeper Dunn watched on grateful for the deflection. Contrasting the opening, Orient were now enjoying their best spell in the game, with Northampton pegged back in their own half whilst waves of Orient attacks barraged the Cobbler's box.
The final chance of the half fell to Northampton's Andy Holt on the 36th minute. A menacing cross by Anya flitted across Jones' area, and with Akinfenwa unable to meet the ball, it fell kindly to Holt. With time to control it, the midfielder could only scuff his shot from 4 yards out, straight into Jones' arms. The best chance yet for Northampton as the game turned into a midfield battle for the final 10 minutes of the half before both teams headed into the tunnels. With 63% of the possession going Orient's way, it was vital for William's men to convert this into goals - however, Northampton showed frequently in the half why a low percentage doesn't always mean lack of chances...

With the teams refreshed from the break, both sides headed out to applause from the crowd, eager for more action. Two close cut chances followed for Orient on the 55 minute mark. The first a free header from Simon Church requiring a reactionary fingertip save from Dunn before being ruled offside. The second, onside this time, was constructed from a corner, swung in by Thornton toward Mcgleish's feet, and with two defenders quickly approaching, the striker could do little to control his shot as it sailed over the bar from 10 yards out.
A chance for Northampton next, as left-back Danny Jackman swung in a ball from 40 yards to the far post. With goalie Jones coming and missing the punch, Holt's scuffed free header could only trickle wide of the post, inches from equalising.
More Leyton Orient pressure around 65 minutes, with 3 corners in 5 minutes and several half chances unable to conjure up a second for the O's after a quick succession of inventive link-ups and build up play by Mcgleish, Morgan, Thornton and Melligan in particular.
Two substitutes on the 70th minute - Orient's Simon Church being replaced by frontman Wayne Grey, and Cobbler's Andy Holt swapped for striker Aleksander Prijovic.
A careless backpass by Adbul Osman released Mcgleish to attack goal single-handedly, yet his 35 yard curler ended up straight down the keeper's throat.
With 15 minutes remaining on the clock, Northampton Town earned a deserved equaliser. Another set piece, this time a free kick in a similar position to the O's goal in the first half. An inswinger by Guttridge was hit low towards target man Akinfenwa at the near post, whos bullet header across goal found the back of the net - the keeper left wrong-footed.
5 minutes later, Northampton scored a second. The best play of the match, with a good link up play by Jackman, Akinfenwa and Guttridge running rings around the Orient defence before Guttridge released substitute Prijovic with a through ball between the central defenders. One on one with Jones, the Serbian made no mistake from 12 yards, smashing the ball into the bottom left corner.
Northampton Town then made their second substitution, with Akinfenwa - who had made life extremely difficult for the O's defence all afternoon - being replaced with midfielder Ryan Gilligan. As the final 5 minutes approached, Orient seemed to lack urgency, with their present position in the League One table needing no further boost. The game was once again end to end, yet lacked quality final balls and neither team could create anything special, until the 87th minute. With 7 men forward, centre-half Spence managed to meet Thornton's inswung corner, but his well-directed header was cleared off the line by Jackman, denying a 2-2 scoreline.
Orient pushed on for an equaliser in the dying minutes, with striker Dwayne Grey coming close on the 90th minute before a very late third by the visitors, slotted home by Anya to the keeper's right hand side, gave Northampton Town something to smile about before their crunch matches in the final few weeks.

With Orient safe from the drop, the team look forward to a showdown at promotion-hopefuls Millwall this coming Saturday, hoping to put the result this Saturday behind them.