Scunthorpe United v Leyton Orient

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Football League One

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Byrne, Mirfin, Pearce, Wright, Thompson, McCann (Morris 89), Sparrow (Togwell 73), Woolford, Hooper (Hurst 84), Hayes
Subs not used:
Slocombe, Lea

Leyton Orient :
Jones, Cave-Brown, Mkandawire, Spence, Purches, Baker (Melligan 55), Terry (Pires 70), Chambers, Demetriou, Jarvis, Morgan
Subs not used:
Saah, Shields, Palmer

OPPOSITION VIEW

FROM LEYTON ORIENT'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE

A GOAL in each half proved enough for promotion-seeking Scunthorpe United to see off Orient's challenge at Glanford Park.

Dean Morgan cancelled out Paul Hayes' first half opener on 59 minutes, but Scunthorpe's Garry Thompson struck the decisive blow five minutes later.

The O's adopted a 4-5-1 formation and looked set to frustrate the Iron before the break before Hayes fired home on the stroke of half time.

They showed more ambition after the interval, but Scunthorpe's greater power eventually told and Orient were sent home with nothing.

There was an early scare for League debutant Jamie Jones who spilled Matt Sparrow's third minute cross before recovering to gather at the second attempt.

Nine minutes later, Jones was more assured in dealing with Gary Hooper's snap shot, catching his well-struck 18-yard effort.

The young stopper had to save from Hooper again on 15, tipping the ball behind for a corner after the former O's loan player ran onto a long pass over the top and attempted a quick lob.

Scuthorpe had started strongly and Thompson was next to go close, hooking Cliff Byrne's cross wide of the near post.

The Iron continued to apply the pressure, with Orient struggling to keep hold of the ball when they moved into advanced areas, and Thompson fired over after running at Stephen Purches in the right channel.

Orient threatened for the first time with 21 minutes on the clock with Morgan firing wide of the near post after his attempted square ball to Adam Chambers was cut out.

The O's, whilst offering little going forward, had slowed the pace of the game down well and it wasn't until the 34th minute that Scunthorpe troubled Jones again when Hooper squared up Spence before shooting from a tight angle.

Morgan had a rare chance for the O's seven minutes before the break, drilling a free kick comfortably over the bar after Byrne fouled Purches 20 yards out.

Three minutes later Orient were given another free kick on the edge of the box, and Demetriou drew a low save from Joe Murphy after Morgan touched the ball to him.

But just as it looked as if the O's would make it to the break with the scoresheet blank, Woolford delivered a cross from the right that Hayes took down at the far post and rifled into the top corner from 12 yards.

The second half started in similar fashion, with Grant McCann firing over the top after Jordan Spence cleared Woolford's cross to the edge of the box.

Hooper then missed a glorious chance to double the Iron's lead when the home side profited from a Spence error to feed Hayes down the left, who crossed low for his strike partner. A goal looked certain but, much to Orient's relief, Hooper spooned well over the bar.

There was an equally glaring miss at the other end on 53 when Ryan Jarvis nodded Morgan's inswinging free kick wide from a good position.

The O's did find themselves back on level terms just before the hour when Jarvis' excellent through ball slipped Morgan in and the on-loan Luton man showed admirable composure to beat Murphy from 15 yards.

Parity was only to last five minutes though, as a cross came in from the left, Hayes held off his man in the centre and the ball dropped for Thompson to drill into the far corner.

Jones saved a McCann free kick 16 minutes from time, while a teasing JJ Melligan cross dropped just beyond the O's men at the far post shorty afterwards.

Woolford struck the far post for the Iron in the final minute, but Scunthorpe didn't need a third as they sent Orient to another defeat - one that keeps them in the drop zone.