Leyton Orient fight back to claim a point against Sheffield United

In an open first half, neither side were able to break the deadlock although both will feel they should have done.

David Mooney fired over inside the box while Billy Clarke saw his shot bravely dealt with by Terrell Forbes.

Charlie Daniels was given a straight red card in the second half, forcing the O’s to play out the match with ten men.

And with the game entering the closing stages, Chris Porter was able to tap in, appearing to give the Blades the points.

But Kevin Lisbie struck deep in injury time to earn the home side a point.

Russell Slade named an unchanged side as Orient went in search of a fourth consecutive win.

Leon McSweeney kept his place at right back with Elliot Omozusi continuing on the subs bench, as Scott Cuthbert and Terrell Forbes again formed the heart of the O’s defence.

Matt Spring sat just in front of the Orient back four against one of his former clubs, while Tom Clarke and Stephen Dawson continued in the middle.

Kevin Lisbie was again selected as the lone striker, with Mooney supporting from wide.

Jamie Cureton, George Porter, Marc Laird and Tom Lovelock made up the O’s bench.

Cuthbert had the chance to put the O’s ahead early on from a Dean Cox cross but his stooping header was well wide inside the first few minutes.

Harry Maguire then went close for the visitors on seven minutes, controlling a free kick with his chest before knocking his half-volley wide.

Cuthbert was posing the threat again for Orient minutes later when he met a Daniels free kick with his head, calling Steve Simonsen into action to tip it over.

It was a lively opening to the match with both sides having their chances. United went close again when Billy Clarke danced through the defence before the ball fell to strike partner Chris Porter who was ruled offside as he looked to beat Lee Butcher.

Porter almost had the beating of the Orient stopper within a minute, beating Forbes and Cuthbert to force the save with McSweeney tidyng up.

The Blades continued to impress and came close to opening the scoring on 17 minutes when Matt Phillips’ free kick found a gap in the wall but fell narrowly wide.

Orient were not to be outdone by Danny Wilson’s side though and worked a neat move three minutes later which saw Daniels cross low for Mooney, who had ghosted in unmarked but drilled his first-time strike over the bar.

There was hardly time to catch your breath though when the Blades went up the other end and again looked to test their hosts – Phillips getting the better of Mooney and McSweeney before finding Billy Clarke whose shot was headed wide by Forbes.

Both sides still looked capable of creating an opening but the game had a more settled feel about it by this point.

Billy Clarke will feel he should have done better with Stephen Quinn’s cross five minutes before the break, heading it into the ground before it bounced over, as the sides went in at the break level.

The Blades pressed from the restart but it was Orient who created the first chance of the second period – Lisbie turning his marker in the O’s half before charging forward and seeing his shot blocked, with Mooney’s rebound scuffed wide.

Both sides were still creating with Dawson twice firing high and wide while at the other end, Neill Collins headed narrowly over from a corner.

Forbes was the next one guilty of missing a clear chance as he headed Daniels’ corner comfortably wide despite his position in the centre of the area.

McSweeney forced a good save from Simonsen on 70 minutes, finding himself in an advanced position on the right to fire low and win a corner.

The game then took a bizarre twist as Daniels was given a straight red card for a challenge on Lee Williamson.

The O’s were incensed however, as the referee had played an advantage following a challenge on Dawson when perhaps they would have preferred a free kick.

It always looked to be an uphill battle for the O’s with the numerical disadvantage and some questionable decisions from the man in the middle and with five minutes to play, the visitors had their lead.

A scuffed effort from Nick Montgomery could only be parried by Lee Butcher, and Porter was in the right place at the right time to tap into an empty net.

But in the dying seconds, Lisbie was able to convert from a free kick to earn Orient a precious draw.

Orient: Butcher; McSweeney, Cuthbert, Forbes, Daniels; Spring (Porter 87), Mooney (Omozusi 73), Dawson, Clarke (Laird 46), Cox; Lisbie.

Subs: Cureton, Lovelock.

United: Simonsen; Lowton, Collins, Maguire, Williams; Phillips (Williamson 70 (Doyle 73)), Montgomery, McDonald, Quinn; Porter, Clarke (Evans 57).

Subs: Jean-Francois, Long.

Attendance: 5,928 (1,526).