Orient kicked off their pre-season games with a rather uninspiring 1-1 draw at Southern League Division One side Swindon Supermarine. Jabo Ibehre scored Orient`s goal whilst Glyn Garner upheld his reputation as a spot-kick specialist as he saved Nathan Edwards` penalty.
Martin Ling elected to use 21 different players in a rather Sven like manner as the players were given 45 minutes each in the first of Orient`s pre-season matches. Orient created an early chance on just three minutes, but Ibehre`s header was blocked on the line following a corner from Joe Keith, whilst Paul Connor was just millimetres away from connecting with a McMahon cross which flashed across goal.
Despite enjoying the ascendancy in terms of possession, the O`s failed to break a resolute Supermarine backline and were almost made to pay for their prolificacy as the Non-League side were awarded a penalty on 24 minutes after John Mackie was adjudged to have fouled his man. However, the O`s skipper was saved from embarrassment as Garner dived away to his left to palm the ball to safety.
Orient finally took the lead on 37 minutes after Jabo Ibehre collected a pass from Joe Keith, turned his marker and finishing quite sumptuously with a drilled effort into the corner. Despite taking the lead, Orient were pulled back by their hosts as Pratley found himself in behind a static Orient backline and Garner was left stranded as Pratley fired the ball past the Welshman for the equaliser.
Half time saw a mass exodus of players as Martin Ling made wholesale changes and as a result the game never really escaped second gear from thereafter. Orient did have a golden opportunity to win the game on 79 as Donny Barnard`s header was wonderfully turned away after the O`s man had connected with Matt Lockwood`s cross. Gary Alexander also tested the Supermarine ‘keeper late on, but Orient failed to find a second goal.
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