O's sunk late on by Pirates blow

8:43am Monday 12th November 2007

Leyton Orient 1
Bristol Rovers 1
(FA Cup 1st rnd)

ORIENT suffered a second late blow in a week, as Rickie Lambert's late header earned Bristol Rovers a replay.

The visitors created the first opening on three minutes, but striker Sean Rigg fired well wide.

At the other end JJ Melligan produced a good run AND shot on five minutes, but it sailed well over the bar.

Rigg then picked up on a slip by Tamika Mkandawire on ten minutes, but was unable to hit the target.

The O's raced into a 16th minute lead, after Jason Demetriou's cross from the left was head home by Wayne Gray.

Three minutes later Adam Boyd let fly from 20 yards, but his effort easily cleared Steve Phillips' goal.

In a dour first half, the next and only other real chance arrived in stoppage time. A well flighted corner from Rovers' Stuart Campbell was met by a stooping header from Chris Lines that only just went the wrong side of the bar.

Four minutes after the restart The Gas were almost level after Lambert crashed a 25-yard free-kick against the top of the bar.

At the other end Gray's cross found John Melligan in space, but his shot was well saved by Campbell.

Lambert then squandered a great opening on 55 minute when he shot wide after being sent clear by Sammy Igoe.

Orient finally started to come to life and almost doubled their lead in somewhat fortunate circumstances, when Gray's cross-come-shot from the right grazed the top of the bar.

Strike partner Adam Boyd then had a glorious chance to kill off the tie, but he somehow headed Wayne Corden's cross wide of the mark on 76 minutes, despite having the goal at his mercy.

The Londoners were made to pay nine minutes from time after Lambert bravely headed in Campbell's corner.

The hosts almost salvaged events though deep into stoppage time, when a trip on sub Sean Thornton presented the former Doncaster man with a free-kick from 30 yards. Having dusted himself off Thornton unleashed a powerful effort, but Phillips produced an excellent save to ensure events remained all square.

A disappointed Martin Ling said: "We didn't play with a tempo and ball retention front to back wasn't good enough.

"We just didn't hold onto the ball and there was no real pattern of play to the match.

"So it was really disappointing that we didn't perform our strongest side of the game well enough, although I thought a draw was a fair result in the end."

Orient: Nelson, Purches, Thelwell, Mkandawire, Daniels, Melligan (Thornton 65), Terry (Echanomi 82), Chambers, Demetriou (Corden 64), Boyd, Gray. Unused: Saah, Palmer.