LOFC – Orient Win Again

Dean Cox’s goal in the first half was enough to ensure a third consecutive win for The O’s and leave Russell Slade ‘absolutely delighted’.

The match itself was hardly a classic and won’t live in the memory for long but one goal was enough to keep Orient’s unbeaten run going and allow Orient to make it a maximum of 9 points from three games in the month of October.

Orient were unchanged from the side that started last week’s 3-2 victory at Scunthorpe United. There was just one change to the Orient bench with George Porter recovering enough from a dead leg to be on the bench.

One of the earliest chances of the game fell to the balaclava wearing Nigerian at the heart of the Bury defence, Efe Sodje, who’s glancing header was cleared off the line by Matt Spring. Orient then started to apply some pressure on the Shakers’ defence as David Mooney fired straight at Trevor Carson in the Bury goal and Kevin Lisbie had a shot deflected for a corner.

The Orient goal looked more likely despite neither team applying huge amounts of pressure on the opposition goal and it came in first half stoppage time. David Mooney broke down the right and fired in a cross that was finished neatly by Dean Cox’s right foot.

Bury came out and tested Lee Butcher a few times in the second half with the closest being Michael Jones’ header that hit the crossbar.

Bury’s loanee from Liverpool David Amoo gave Charlie Daniels a real test and after some neat footwork he set up Steven Schumacher who shot from outside the area but Butcher had it covered.

Scott Cuthbert nearly turned in a Schumacher cross just before the end but luckily for Cuthbert and the Orient, the ball heading straight into the North Stand, not the top corner of Butcher’s net.

Orient’s best chance of the half fell to Mooney, who’s free kick went marginally over.

A game that we were lucky to win, maybe, however, that is the sign of a good team when you win well despite not especially playing well or deserving to win.

Player Ratings

12 – Lee Butcher
Again, did very little wrong and kept a clean sheet. You really can’t ask for much more from a young keeper like Lee.

14 – Leon McSweeney
Been used by some as a scapegoat but I’m quite happy with his performances, he does his job well and makes very few mistakes.

5 – Scott Cuthbert
Despite nearly earning Bury a point deep into the second half with a shinned clearance that nearly eluded Butcher, he was competent. Centre back is his natural position and I don’t like seeing him out on the right. Good game.

6- Terrell Forbes
Forbes is the sort of player who could easily win man of the match every week. He does nothing wrong and kept Andy Bishop very quiet on Saturday.

11 – Charlie Daniels
Had a tough test on Saturday against David Amoo and did well to keep him quiet. Daniels is slowly returning to form and when he does return to the form of last season, we could be unplayable in games.

7 – Dean Cox
Tiny is returning to form rapidly and smashed in his sixth goal of the season so is showing big signs of the player he was last season. Very good on Saturday.

8 – Stephen Dawson
For the second time in as many weeks, Dawson has been rewarded with the man of the match award with his performances. Simply awesome on Saturday, both defensively and attacking.

16 – Matt Spring
Springy has been used as a scapegoat this season but there can’t be any arguments that Spring isn’t pulling his weight.

25 – Tom Clarke
I really like Clarke. Steady yet unspectacular and an experienced head in the midfield. He looks like the replacement for Adam Chambers that we’ve needed.

9 – Kevin Lisbie
One of Lisbie more quiet games but he was still a nuisance for the Bury defence.

34 – David Mooney (Subbed)
Looks like he’s settling into the role out wide on the right and has set up goals for the second week in a row. Starting to really improve.

SUB; 15 – George Porter (on for Mooney 78)
It was late when George came on and he had little impact. He’ll have a job on to take his place from Mooney when fully fit.