Orient denied crucial win by last minute penalty (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Orient denied crucial win by last minute penalty

5:05pm Saturday 1st March 2008 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

Brighton & Hove Albion 1
Leyton Orient 1
(League One)

ORIENT'S play-off hopes suffered a late blow as Nicky Forseter slotted home a 90th minute penalty to deny the O's maximum points.

Jabo Ibehre's header ten minutes from time looked to have been enough to secure the Londoners maximum points.

Manager Martin Ling made two changes for the trip to the Withdean Stadium from the side that lost at home to Nottingham Forest last weekend. Both keeper Stuart Nelson and leading scorer Adam Boyd dropped to the bench at the expense of Glenn Morris and Sean Thornton. The latter's inclusion meant that striker Wayne Gray moved from the right of midfield to his more favoured position up front alongside Ibehre.

The visitors created the first chance of the afternoon when Ibehre cut the ball back for Thornton but his shot from the edge of the area was deflected wide for a corner.

From the resulting flag kick Thornton swung the ball dangerously across the six-yard box, but Sam Oji just failed to get a touch on the ball as he swung wildly at it.

The Seagulls had their first chance on ten minutes. A free-kick from deep in his own half from keeper Michael Kuipers was swung up to Glenn Murray and his header fell down nicely for Dean Bowditch, but his lobbed effort easily cleared the bar.

Orient broke straight down the other end and Adam Chambers got free down the right and cut the ball back from the by-line for Wayne Gray but his goalbound header was cleared off the line by Tommy Elphick.

Brighton begun to get on top and had a great chance to take the lead on 21 minutes. Dean Cox whipped in a dangerous cross from the right that saw Glenn Murray play a headed one-two with Nicky Forster, but he somehow headed over from inside the six-yard box.

Cox again carved out a good opening two minutes later, when he once more crossed from the right for Murray but his header at the back post was tame and fell straight to Morris.

A stray pass from Thornton on 29 minutes that sent Murray clear, but Morris guided him wide and then saved well to his right from Cox after the ball had been cut back to him.

The O's earned another corner on 32 minutes that was swung in well from the right by Thornton, but Brian Saah couldn't keep his header on target at the back post.

Orient produced their best football of the half on 39 minutes. Demetriou burst forward before finding Thornton on the right he cut it back to his fellow midfielder, who in turn laid it to Paul Terry. But his curling effort from the edge of the area only just flew the wrong side of the left-hand upright.

Cox continued to look menacing in the home sides' midfield and this time he crossed from the left, but once more it was met by a weak header from Bowditch that Morris easily got down to.

Albion had another great chance to break the deadlock in stoppage time. A defence splitting through ball from Bowditch got Forster in behind the O's backline, but he was forced wide by Morris and Oji got back to clear the strikers shot off the line.

The second half took time to get going and it wasn't until the 59th minute that first chance arrived. The hosts were struggling to clear their lines, when the ball fell to Terry on the edge of the area and his first time volley was travelling at pace but fortunately for Kuipers it was straight down his throat.

Just 60 seconds later and Thornton floated over a good ball from the right, but Ibehre's resulting header lacked pace and was easily saved by Kuipers.

Brighton had their first opening on 63 minutes when Oji was caught dwelling on the ball by Murray who went clear through on goal again. Once more Morris did well to force the striker wide before he cut it back for Forster, but his resulting shot was high and wide.

The visitors created a couple of good openings as the half progressed to try and break the deadlock.

First Demetriou found time and space down the left on 74 minutes to fire in a powerful low shot that Kuipers got down well to tip wide.

But the Londoners really should have gone in front three minutes later. The ball had been fizzing around the hosts' box between subs Adam Boyd and Andy Barcham, before Terry was able to get his shot off. His effort was blocked but fell kindly to Ibehre in space, but he somehow failed to hit the target from seven yards when he blazed over despite having the goal at his mercy.

He however atoned for squandering that chance ten minutes from time. Demetriou played in a measured cross from the left that Ibehre headed powerfully past Kuipers.

A minute from time defender Matt Richards fired in a free-kick from 35-yards that only just cleared Morris' bar.

But with stoppage time approaching Jake Robinson swung over a cross from the left that caught the arm of Chambers, and while it looked unintentional from the Orient midfielder, ref Paul Melin pointed straight to the penalty spot.

Forster stepped up to take the resulting kick and coolly slotted home to break the visitors hearts.

But it could have got worse for the O's in the third minute of stoppage time when Terry cleared David Martot's shot off the line, before Morris got down well to save the follow up effort.

Orient: Morris, Purches, Saah, Oji, ( Thelwell 73) Palmer; Thornton (Barcham 75), Chambers, Terry, Demetriou; Gray (Boyd 71), Ibehre. Subs: Nelson, Daniels.