Story by Garry Mann - 26th February 2006
A great goal from Orient player Shane Tudor gives hosts Leyton Orient a win but Quakers had chances to get something here.
'At this stage it's about people who can hold their nerve' - Martin Ling (Oreint Manager) programme notes. Nice words Mr. Ling, very poetic, and as applicable to Darlington's situation as his own sides. After a couple of huge setback, bagging one out of a possible nine points against fellow promotion hopefuls, victory was paramount. It would be fair to say the nerve has been anything but held over the last fortnight and with the departure of Lafferty creating a decisively unwelcome blow to Hodgson's attacking options, paired with Darlington's abysmal record against the O's, the outcome seemed ominous from the offset.
However, The Quakers made a bright start carving out several openings against the Leytonstone based club's defence. A rasping thirty yard Carlos Logan strike, revelling in the freedom of his new 'behind the front two' role, dipped just over the cross bar after six minutes, closely followed by a neat Guy Bates, making his full debut, cut in from the left before unleashing a curling left footer to trouble Glyn Garner, who fumbled the shot, but the keeper recovered quickly to get a crucial touch onto Cooke's follow up.
The hosts slowly but surely got a foothold on proceedings, much thanks to some unconvincing Russell goalkeeping - first he charged out to clear but missed and then failed inexplicably to keep the ball in play to prevent a corer. However, there was little Russell could do to prevent Shane Tudor's impeccable fourteen minute opener. The former Cambridge winger cut inside from the right flank and delivered a sublime curler past the helpless Russell and into the top corner. Something of a treat for Orient fans who've waited until today to see their side play only their third home game in 2006. However, not so much of a treat for the hefty away support; who must of felt unfortunate to find themselves behind after controlling the early stages.
The impetus was, for the meantime, with Martin Ling's troops who partook to cause considerable havoc vastly through the skills, tricks and quickness of feet of Tudor. The number sixteen created a living nightmare for Valentine, not more so than on twenty six minutes when he skinned the Welshman before driving in a front post cross towards Alexander who fluffed his shot and Russell collected. Like against Shrewsbury a very promising start transformed into what can only be described as, schools games lesson. Passes went repeatedly astray, the defence became exposed and attacks, despite some good build up, lacked imagination and a clinical ball in the final third.
Indeed Darlington's play was on a constant see saw from the sublime to the ridiculous. Two Jonjo Dickman 'shots' just after the half hour should've done better to level affairs; the first a laughable fairy type effort from a corner leaving spectators uncertain of whether he was getting too wrapped up in ITV's celebrity ice skating show, followed by a much more convincing second, rightly refusing his options to direct a good effort just shy of the left post. A recurring theme through out the first half was the difference between the sides' know how when in attacking positions. Orient were simply head and shoulders above their opponents in this department reaping the rewards of obvious good direction and training.
They should have doubled the deficit five minutes from the break, when Democratic Republic of Congo youngster Zakuani forced a superb tip over from Russell who then saved bravely from John Mackie's close range blast from the resultant corner. To be fair, it would have been extremely bad luck on Darlington to be two behind at the break after enjoying the best of the possession but just lacking the ideas and, in harsh reality, ability when they had it.
Subsequently, Sam Russell's excellent low save on half time from a penalty kick by Matt Lockwood, after Martis' innocuous challenge on Connor was harshly given as a penalty, was justice done. With the penalty save and some encouraging possession to build on, the Quakers again were quick out of the blocks; Logan winning a dangerous free kick more or less immediately from the restart. The zippy ball in from McDermott, also making his full debut, beat Garner but not the defensive head of striker Gary Alexander. This was to be McDermott's last meaningful contribution; he made way for Wainwright quarter of an hour into the second half.
This game was here for Darlington, all they had to do was score. However, such plans would have been completely scuppered had a vital interception from Keltie and block from Martis prevented Ibehre from netting. It's no coincidence how many times Darlington hit the self destruct button that they squander good opportunities to make headway in the league table and against promotion rivals. It was apparent that this was a great possibility again today. As news of Thomas and McGurk netting goals for York filtered over to Brisbane Road it remains to be known whether Hodgy would desire there services today as the performance continued to be blighted by lack of goal penetration, to the bemusement of the 403 travelling diehards.
Lee Steele's cross come shot had Sam Russell in a flap, stretching to palm wide for a corner, almost compounding a fruitless day at the office. Russell was again at his most alert to block an awkward blunder buster from Lockwood and again to prevent Ibehre on the follow up at the expense of a corner. As the game whittled out into mediocrity it was quite fitting that referee Moss continued in the occasionally half witted vein he officiated through out and dismissed Appleby for a fairly nothing challenge which in his eyes warranted a second booking. And, now clearly with a taste for the old bookings, Stockdale also received a caution for a similarly innocuous tackle. Both incidents were made worse to stomach for Darlington's travelling support when Stockdale nearly had his ankle taken off him with a late lunging tackle in front of the visitor's technical area.
A frustrating day at Brisbane Road but its not unexpected - every trip in the last forty years to East London has proved something of a torrid experience for players and fans alike. This was no different. The chances were there in abundance, the opening forty-five minutes especially. A lack of luck, but most of all a lack of cutting edge cost Darlington what would have been a well achieved point given the spate of injuries ahead of this encounter. The penalty save was justice done but a superb strike can't be legislated for. This game most of all goes to highlight how many points David Hodgson's men would be better off if they could find their touch in front of goal.
Leyton Orient: Garner, Miller, Lockwood, Mackie, Zakuani, Tudor, Simpson, McMahon, Keith (Barnard 77), Alexander (Ibehre 58), Connor. Subs: Tann, Steele, Morris, Ibehre, Barnard.
Darlington: Russell, Valentine, Stockdale, Appleby, Martis, McDermott (Wainwright 56), Logan (Sodje 66), Keltie, Dickman, Bates (Peacock 72), Cooke. Subs: Janes, Norton, Wainwright, Sodje, Peacock.
Leyton Orient bookings: Mackie, Barnard.
Darlington booking: Appleby, Cooke, Keltie, Stockdale, Appleby (red card - second booking).
Goals: Tudor 13th min (0-1).
