Notts Fall to Narrow Defeat at Home
Notts County fell to defeat as Shaun Brisley’s 76th minute strike was the difference between the two sides.
Leyton Orient started on the front foot in a half which merited little chances, Jobi McAnuff and Sammy Moore taking it in turns to send in deep crosses, both of which were easily dealt with by the Notts County defence.
Jason Banton, who was making his home debut for the club, created the hosts’ first chance. The winger beat his man on the right wing before sending in a cross to the six yard box which hit a defender on the back and fell to safety, with Tuesday’s two goal hero Jon Stead lurking to finish.
Notts thought they should have had a penalty after 15 minutes. Curtis Thompson bent in a low cross behind the visitors’ defence, Izale McLeod seemed the favourite to meet the ball but looked to have been tripped on his run through, the referee waving away the home side’s claims for a spot kick.
Most of the game was being played in the wide areas and it was from here Banton again looked to create the opening goal. His cross was looking for McLeod, but Shaun Brisley was first to the ball to intercept.
The best chance of the half fell to the away side ten minutes before the break. Mooney’s free kick was met at the back post by Brisley, but Elliot Hewitt did well to block the goal bound effort. It was the same two who combined from the resulting corner, but Brisley’s effort didn’t trouble Roy Carroll as it flew past his right hand post.
The last opening of the half fell to Notts, Banton again the provider, crossing low to Stead who, with his back to goal, couldn’t get the ball under control and Orient cleared.
Alan Smith had the first effort of the second half, shooting wide on the half volley as the ball dropped to him 25 yards out.
It was the hosts who started the second half the better side, McLeod leading a counter attack from his own half, finding Banton on the left hand side. The winger tricked his way past Nicky Hunt and into the box where he pulled it back for Liam Noble 12 yards out, but the midfielder couldn’t get there before the defender who stretched and cleared.
Noble did get a shot away a minute later, Alex Cisak in the Orient net reacting well to beat away the midfielder’s strike from outside the box.
Player manager Kevin Nolan was the first man into the referee’s notebook, the midfielder scything down Noble on the right touchline.
Against the run of play, the visitors thought they had taken the lead with 25 minutes to play. Mathieu Baudry met a corner from their left with a free header, the ball looking destined for the net before a Notts player reacted quickest to clear off the line.
The game had started to open up as both teams looked for the opening goal, Haydn Hollis firing over under pressure from Noble’s corner, when well placed 10 yards out.
In the 76th minute the away side took the lead. A corner into the six yard box resulted in pinball in a crowd of players, Carroll reacting well to save an initial effort before Brisley got to the ball first to fire home.
Notts had an opening just minutes later, Nicky Hunt slipping on the right of his own box, Stead reacting quickest and getting to the ball, sending a low pass into McLeod who would have had an easy finish but for Brisley who intercepted and cleared.
With just seconds left on the clock, Jon Stead rose highest to meet Jason Banton’s cross but the striker couldn’t get over the ball, his header clearing Cisak’s bar.
That was to be the last action of the game, Leyton Orient taking the three points.
Team: Carroll, Adams, Smith, Hollis, Thompson, Noble (Campbell 79’), Hewitt, Banton, Atkinson, Stead, McLeod
Unused Subs: Loach, Amevor, Murray, Sharpe, Burke, Audel
Att: 4,878 (639 away)