Orient Hang On

18 Sep 2019 by Trevor Ridley

This penultimate round of Essex Over 60s Walking Football League fixtures took place at Len Forge Centre, Southend and it was the perfect day for walking football, sunny with a slight breeze. With a full set of four games it was always going to be difficult for Orient to claim the four wins they so desperately needed but they were certainly going to give it their very best.

The first game of the day was against Concord Rangers and Orient were determined to win. Concord seemed to have learnt from previous meeting between the teams and defended in depth. It was only when a Rangers players stepped into the box and conceded a penalty could Orient break the deadlock with a coolly taken spot kick by Stevenson that went in off the left hand post. Concord now pushed out a bit more and this lead to Orient’s second, a sublimely weighted ball by Mullins down the right channel allowed Ridley to let the ball run past him and then hit it on the turn to beat the flatfooted keeper. After half time Orient’s passing suffered slightly and they weren’t able to pick their way through a tight Concord defence that was determined not to concede again. Half way through the half Ridley was blue carded which lead to a few scary moments but nothing the defence couldn’t manage. Final score: Concord Rangers 0 v 2 Leyton Orient (Ridley, Stevenson pen).

Next up were Eastwood Blues and this was another team that were determined not to concede while putting little pressure on the Orient goal. No matter how much Orient moved the ball around and probed the Blues defence there just didn’t seem to be a way through. Finally Orient thought they had made the breakthrough when an Eastwood player infringed in his own box. This time it was Wahlhaus who stepped up but he was outfoxed by the Eastwood Blues keeper who made an excellent dive to his right to intercept Wahlhaus’s shot. Final score: Leyton Orient 0 v 0 Eastwood Falcons Blues.

The second last game of the day was against Grays Athletic, a team Orient have found it annoyingly difficult to beat. This time it was different when a ball out of defence found Manicom who laid it off to Mullins who fired home. Orient were really in their pomp now, passing and moving the ball at their leisure. Another move from the back, went to Mullins on the left, who found Manicom in the middle. A neat touch off from Manicom found Ridley in space on the right and the time to fire past the Grays keeper. This was an extremely well worked team goal. The second half saw Grays put a lot more pressure on the Orient defence but the O’s held on. Final score: Grays Athletic 0 v 2 Leyton Orient (Mullins, Ridley).

The last game of the day was against Eastwood Falcons Yellows and this was never going to be easy as they are a good footballing team with a tricky striker. This time it was Orient’s turn to get off to a flier as Ridley managed to pick up the ball on the edge of the Eastwood penalty area, evade two challenges and fire in off the near post. Now the pressure really started to build and although Orient probably had the better part of the first half Eastwood dominated the second. Wave after wave of attack was repulsed by Brooks, Wahlhaus and Martin with Sullivan pulling off save after save in goal. In the end something had to give and yet again it was the quick feet of Eastwood’s tricky striker. Managing to unbalance Brooks he fired a pile-driver past Sullivan. Final score: Eastwood Falcons Yellows 1 v 1 Leyton Orient (Ridley).

Although these weren’t the set of results that were hoped for at the beginning of the day Orient are still in with an outside chance on the final day of the EWFL over 60s session.

Leyton Orient squad: Tony Brooks, Graham Manicom, Gary Martin, Mick Mullins, Trevor Ridley, Phil Stevenson, Tony Sullivan (Gk), Tony Wahlhaus (Capt).

Goal Scorer: Ridley 3, Mullins, Stevenson.



Location

Len Forge Centre, Eastwoodbury Lane, SS2 6UH

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