retired_pahuja_satish

Poole's too good for Division 2. Where are you in the league Faramir?

retired_destiny1124

SoS- Too true on Poole- but nice to have on my side Farther ahead on actual play, but I think at that time I was in 4th, maybe 3rd.

retired_destiny1124

24.11.04
Cambridge (0) Leyton Orient (2)
Cambridge- None
Orient- D.Poole 39-P,72
MOM- David Poole, Leyton Orient

In a showdown match against 1st place Cambridge at The Abbey, Orient acquitted themselves well as they responded to every challenge and took away an impressive 2-0 road victory that temporarily vaulted them over Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol City into 2nd place. David Poole was again the focus of the Orient attack as they marked him closely in the early going and he wasn't able to free himself of Andy Duncan's ministrations. The play featured wonderful passing by both sides- but not many good chances resulting from their displays. In the 39th minute Poole headed to Throrrington and he took the ball around Fred Murray, only to have Murray trip him in the area. Poole then drilled the penalty kick in off the base of the leftside post past Stuart Gray to earn Orient a 1-0 halftime lead. Midway through the 2nd half Cambridge had three excellent chances to even the match all in one sequence. First, John Turner fired a low 20 yard blast that Harrison brilliantly parried. Steve Palmer was able to chip it out of the area, but then Marc Goodfellow took it back in and Harrison pushed his hard shot away. On the ensuing throw-in, Fred Murray made a good throw that David Bridges was able to outleap Alan Tate for, but Harrison also tipped that one over the net. Poole then added an exclamation point for Orient as Stephen Warne (subbed on for Kevin Grogan) headed to find him alone against Gray and he wasted little time ripping a shot into the near side of the net for the clincher. The only down note for Orient was that Poole had to leave shortly after his 2nd goal with what turned out to be a mild concussion. He isn't expected to miss more than a match though.

***

Drabek and Field relaxed over tankards of ale.

"You know Spencer, if you had told me that we would play that well without Huckerby, Dias, Jowsey and Stijn Francis- I would have mildly disagreed with you. The boys really showed they have gelled as a club," cheerily commented Drabek.

"I think the biggest difference between the problems they gave us last season and how we did this season is our fullbacks. Lee Sims and Carl Laurie both played terrific matches and their speed down the flanks kept blunting the Cambridge attack. Bridges killed us last season, but wasn't much of a factor today," commented Field.

Drabek nodded, "Lee Harrison also- because if he doesn't come up big in that one sequence- it is a much different match."

retired_destiny1124

27.11.04
Leyton Orient (6) Grimsby (0)
Orient- J.Torhallsson 17-P,32,70 B.Glasgow 52 R.Thompson 73,81
Grimsby- None
MOM- Johann Torhallsson, Leyton Orient

Orient proved they didn't miss David Poole much in this match as the 1-2 punch of Johann Torhallsson and Ryan Thompson proved too much for the Grimsby backline to handle. Orient struck first as Iain Anderson pushed Byron Glasgow on a corner and Torhallsson converted the penalty kick past Aidan Davison. John Thorrington setup the 2nd goal by Torhallsson with a dashing run down the right side and an excellent short cross that was easy for Torhallsson to head home. The 3rd goal came when Ryan Thompson made a swerving cross back into the middle from the right baseline and Byron Glasgow volleyed a winner past Davison. Torhallsson then finished off his hat-trick as Thompson headed a Lee Harrison goal kick to him and he took it down before blasting a shot past the beleaguered Davison. It was time for Thompson to get into the scoring and Stephen Clegg (subbed on for Alan Tate) stepped up and took the ball away from Tony Crane before sending to Thompson who had an easy time knocking it past Davison. Thompson then finished off the Orient rout as Torhallsson crossed to him and he directed it past Davison to the near post.

***

29.11.04

Drabek laid down the phone with a slightly incredulous look on his face.

Field glanced over at him, "What?"

Drabek began chuckling, "Plymouth just offered me the job as Manager."

Field smiled, "Ok, let me see here. We are in last place in the same division as the Manager we want to hire- who happens to be quite high up in the Division. We have at least one player- supposedly one of our key players (Simon Downer)- who really hates said Manager's guts. Recipe for success to be certain."

A smile graced Drabek's face, "Well, I did turn them down."

retired_destiny1124

1.12.04
Wycombe (0) Leyton Orient (1)
Wycombe- None
Orient- K.Grogan 55
MOM- Frank Talia, Wycombe

In a match thoroughly dominated by Orient, they only had one true highlight- as Kevin Grogan struck for what will certainly be a contender for Orient Goal of the season- in a close, but not-so-close win. Orient found themselves frustrated by Talia's fine play in the first half as he denied both Johann Torhallsson and David Poole from close in. Grogan struck for what would become the match winner when he made a superb 25 yard volley past Talia on a pass from Lee Burns. Orient held the home side to 1 shot on the match, and the home crowd certainly wasn't appreciative of the performance- though they gave Talia a rousing ovation after his MOM selection.

retired_destiny1124

4.12.04
Tranmere (1) Leyton Orient (5)
Tranmere- I.Hume 30
Orient- J.Torhallsson 3,55 B.Glasgow 23 K.Grogan 38 D.Poole 76
MOM- Byron Glasgow, Leyton Orient

Orient staked an early claim to the match at Prenton Park and gave Tranmere only the merest glimpse of hope before continuing the onslaught and thumping them 5-1. John Thorrington went free down the right side before making a sensational cross to Johann Torhallsson, who was left an easy time directing the ball just inside the far post. Byron Glasgow's goal was almost a carbon copy of the first as Thorrington again rampaged down the right side before finding Glasgow for a volleyed winner on another cross. The home side then got their moment of hope as Iain Hume headed a Phillip Gilder corner past Lee Harrison. It was Thorrington again though as he continued to terrorize the Tranmere backline with another run, another cross and another goal as Kevin Grogan this time was on hand to head it home for a 3-1 halftime lead. Glasgow was the left side architect of Torhallsson's 2nd goal of the match when he took the ball past Alan Navarro and then chipped it over Tyrone Loran as soon as he committed to Glasgow, which left Torhallsson with an easy time sliding it past the diving John Achterberg. David Poole finished off the Orient scoring when he played a touch-and-go pass sequence with Allan Pearce (on for Torhallsson) and half-volleyed a sizzling shot past Achterberg. The lone sour note for Orient was the loss of another midfielder to injury as Kevin Grogan will miss the next month with badly sprained ankle ligaments.

retired_destiny1124

11.12.04
Leyton Orient (3) Oldham (1)
Orient- D.Poole 15 J.Thorrington 42 M.Sisson 68
Oldham- J.Eyre 23
MOM- David Poole, Leyton Orient

Orient offered relentless pressure to visiting Oldham and it paid off in a win as they outshot the visitors 17-2. The first Orient goal was a direct result of the pressure as Oldham keeper Peter Black made a poor clearing kick that went right to David Poole. Poole wasted no time in launching a 30 yard kick that sailed into the empty net as Black tried to get back in position in time and couldn't. Oldham evened the match shortly after as John Eyre proved again he is the virtuoso of the free kick by nailing a 20 yarder past James Jowsey for his 5th goal of the season. Jowsey- who just returned from a long stretch of being off on injury- looked less than sharp in the match. It was little matter to Orient as they surged to the attack again and retook the halftime lead as Johann Torhallsson forced coverage and then crossed to John Thorrington. Thorrington had snuck into the middle on the break from his right wing position and was unmarked to head the cross past Black. The clinching goal came when Black made a good save on a long blast from Byron Glasgow, but the ball bounced to an unattended Michael Sisson and he drilled it into the far side of the net for his 1st goal of the season.

***

"Do you really think we need him now- after all we haven't totally scouted him yet," commented Spencer Field.

"I have seen enough to judge that he would be a bargain- so I put the bid in on him- we should know shortly," said Drabek

Orient Lands Georcelin
Leyton Orient paid 45K to complete the transfer purchase of forward Justin Georcelin. Georcelin will likely move directly to the senior squad.

retired_destiny1124

15.12.04
Leyton Orient (4) Swindon (0)
Orient- A.Cowley 5 P.Moss 11 J.Thorrington 36 A.Pearce 73-P
Swindon- None
MOM- Paul Moss, Leyton Orient

Struggling Swindon picked a very bad time to come to Brisbane Road as they faced a white hot Orient. Orient featured new forward Justin Georcelin paired with Allan Pearce up front as both Johann Torhallsson and David Poole were rested for the match. It was apparent from the opening whistle that the visitors would struggle with Orient's pace advantage. Opening pressure caused a corner and Orient capitalized on it as Alan Cowley headed the John Thorrington offering past Rhys Evans for his 1st Orient marker and a quick 1-0 lead. Orient struck again on their 2nd corner as Paul Moss's header was parried by Evans, only to see Moss chip it over him for his 1st Orient goal. Moss then intercepted a poor goal kick from Evans and Stijn Francis put Justin Georcelin free. Georcelin showed a flash of his talent as he dribbled past a defender and took it deep before crossing back to a wide open John Thorrington who had an easy volley into an open net. Orient's last goal was also a result of Swindon's difficulties on corners as Martin Drury pushed Alan Cowley in the area and Pearce converted the penalty for the final goal in the 4-0 win. Swindon drew 6 yellow cards in the match as time and again they couldn't match the dizzying pace of the Orient attack. The win boosted Orient into 1st place over Cambridge, with Cambridge having a match in hand.

retired_destiny1124

18.12.04
Rushden (0) Leyton Orient (1)
Rushden- None
Orient- D.Poole 87
MOM- David Poole, Leyton Orient

It appeared that it would be a match of missed chances, as both Rushden and Orient had squandered golden opportunities to get goals. Billy Turley and James Jowsey deserved a lot of credit for the scoreless nature of the match as Turley twice stopped Johann Torhallsson in one-on-one situations and Jowsey had brilliantly come out to smother Onandi Lowe in a similar case. In the end it was Orient's speed that again made the difference as Ryan Williams (on for Byron Glasgow) burst down the left side of the pitch before making a dazzling cross into the middle. David Poole outleaped Rhys Day and headed hard, but Turley parried that- only to see the stalking Poole drill a low shot past the off balance keeper for the late match winner.

retired_pahuja_satish

Brilliant as ever Faramir, I like the way you build up a squad of quality players. Is Tom Newey still there? And what about Alexander and Miller?