How Orient saw our match last night

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What game was this guy watching

 

 

 

The O’s recorded their first stalemate of pre-season as AFC Hornchurch held on for a 0-0 draw.

 

Head Coach Steve Davis named a strong starting XI for the trip to the Hornchurch Stadium, as Charlie Lee captained the side while Alex Lawless returned from injury.

 

The O’s got off to a lively start at Greenwich Borough by making the breakthrough inside the opening two minutes on Saturday, and looked to do the same again when Lee took aim from outside the area but his shot flew over the bar.

 

Hornchurch then responded straight away with a chance of their own, only for Brad Warner’s header to drop wide of the post.

 

It was a frantic start for both sides, and with five minutes on the clock forward Tristan Abrahams lined up a free-kick 20-yards from goal after Jobi McAnuff was hauled down, but the youngster’s effort curled just over the crossbar.

 

The pace of the game quickly settled down as both sides continued to search for an opener, and with the 15-minute mark approaching Orient somehow failed to take the lead.

 

McAnuff’s floated corner was powerfully met by defender George Elokobi, and as the ball flashed across goal Trialist A rifled an effort towards goal which came crashing back off the bar, before Abrahams rebound was clawed off the line.

 

Macauley Bonne then saw a header held from a corner, and McAnuff’s delivery was proving a threat as his corner midway through the half presented Elokobi with a chance from close range though the defender could only fire over.

 

It was turning into one-way traffic as the O’s upped the pressure, and full-back Joe Widdowson had a brilliant opportunity on the 30th minute when Abrahams’ deft flick released him in the area, but the defender’s shot was parried away by a strong stop from Urchins goalkeeper Sam Mott.

 

Charlie Lee was the next to come close for the O’s, playing a neat one-two with David Mooney on the edge of the area before drilling a shot over the bar, and despite the pressure the sides went into the break goalless.

 

Following the interval Orient made two changes as Trialist A and Abrahams made way for Michael Clark and Trialist B.

 

Goalkeeper Charlie Grainger had been a spectator for much of the first half, but with less than five minutes of the restart he was called into action to get across well to his left and push Warner’s free-kick behind for a corner.

 

As the hour mark approached there was confusion as Hornchurch thought they had taken the lead through George Purcell’s deflected strike, though after consulting the linesman the goal was ruled out for offside.

 

The O’s had been frustrated by Mott in the Urchins goal on several occasions throughout the first half, and were once again on the 71st minute when the shot-stopper produced a fantastic double save to first keep out Lee’s stinging drive before getting a foot to Trialist B’s follow up attempt.

 

Rommy Boco was one of seven changes to be introduced for the final 20 minutes, and the forward looked to find a winner with five minutes remaining but the Hornchurch defence stood firm to block the shot.

 

Josh Koroma then tried his luck from a 25-yard free-kick, but there proved to be no way through as the match ended goalless.

 

ORIENT: Grainger (Sargeant 72), Caprice (Judd 72), Trialist A (Clark HT), Elokobi (Happe 72), Widdowson (Scales 72), Lee © (McLean 72), Lawless (Ochieng 63), Abrahams (Trialist B HT), McAnuff (Boco 63), Mooney (Clay 72), Bonne (Koroma 72)

SUBS: Barker