Leyton Orient’s four-game unbeaten run came to an end on Tuesday night as they lost out 2-1 to Forest Green at The New Lawn.
Odin Bailey and Matt Stevens struck either side of Josh Wright’s equaliser to condemn Orient to defeat, though the match was marred by a controversial decision by referee Andy Woolmer.
With the game level at 1-1, Conor Wilkinson was seemingly brought down in the box by Liam Kitching after some neat footwork took him away from the Forest Green defender, however the referee saw nothing doing and waved play on, much to the frustration of O’s boss Ross Embleton.
‘Outrageous’
“It’s outrageous to be honest. How on earth he doesn’t give either one of the penalties because Josh Wright is about to get hold of the ball, whether he scores himself or not, he gets pulled to the floor. Then as Conor’s about to put it in he takes his ankles away. It’s a penalty all day long.”
In what was an intriguing tactical battle between two managers with little love lost between them, Forest Green took the lead just before the half-hour mark through Bailey. Orient failed to clear Carl Winchester’s set piece and the on-loan Birmingham man took advantage to net his first goal for the club.
The home side had enjoyed the majority of the possession throughout the first half, but the O’s continued to threaten on the counter with James Brophy in particular looking like the visitors most potent weapon.
It was through the good work of the former Swindon man that Orient levelled. The winger used his lightning pace to get beyond the FGR backline before squaring it across for Wright to tap home an equaliser.
Target
Speaking after the game, Embleton confirmed that it was indeed part of his side’s game plan to target the opposition on the break.
“We knew it was going to be an area where we could hurt Forest Green and I think Brophy certainly utilised that really early in the game. We broke away, especially in the first half, on a number of occasions and looked a real threat.”
Embleton’s side had chances to go in front as the second half wore on, most notably the 74th minute penalty appeal, though it was to be Mark Cooper’s men that came away with all three points. An in-swinging corner evaded everyone in a red shirt before falling to the substitute Stevens inside the six yard box who prodded home the winner.
Orient’s attention now turns to Saturday’s FA Cup First Round tie with Newport County at the Breyer Group Stadium, with Embleton confirming post match that there will be changes for that one.
“We’ll have to weigh up how people have come through tonight, but there will be an opportunity to freshen a few up and give people an opportunity to play.”
Orient: Vigouroux, Akinola, Turley, Happe, Widdowson, Cissé, Wright (McAnuff 83′), Clay, Wilkinson (Dennis 83′), Johnson (Sotiriou 71′), Brophy
Subs: Sargeant, Coulson, Maguire-Drew, Dayton
Goals: Wright 40′
Booked: Turley 27′
Forest Green: McGee, Godwin-Malife, Moore-Taylor, Kitching, Wilson (Sweeney 90′), Winchester, Adams, Wagstaff (Stevens 46′), Bailey, Matt, Collins (Young 70′)
Subs: Whitehouse, Thomas, Bunker, March
Booked:
Goals: Bailey 29′, Stevens 82′
Referee: Andy Woolmer
