Port Vale kicked off the afternoons action shooting towards the South stand of Brisbane Road however it was only a matter of seconds before an overstruck forward pass overturned possession to the O’s, giving away a throwing on the right-hand side of the O’s defensive half.
Conor Wilkinson soon found himself in possession on the right flank of the attacking half with time to lift his head and curl a ball to the back post. The only Orient player in the box, Josh Wright, managed to lose his marker and head the O’s into a 1-0 lead with just three minutes on the clock.
Although an Orient attack fronted by Sam Ling immediately followed the opener, Vale would soon get a foothold in the game, forcing routine saves from Dean Brill as well as a flurry of corners early in the first half.
David Worrall, on the right wing for Vale, flicked the ball round Dan Happe whilst simultaneous bringing down the defender on his 21st birthday, James Gibbons latched onto the loose ball to fire a low effort, palmed away by Dean Brill. Unfortunately for the O’s stopper it fell to the feet of first half substitute, Scott Burgess who’s deflect effort looped into the Orient net to level the scores.
Five minutes after drawing the scores level, Vale mounted on the pressure. A right footed in swinging corner wasn’t dealt with by Orient defenders, and in turn the Valiant defender, Leon Legge turned the ball into the Orient net, giving his side the lead on the 28-minute mark.
Despite dangerous attacks from both sides following Port Vale’s second, including a Louis Dennis freekick which produced a fine save from Scott Brown the sides went in at half time with the scores remained 2-1 to the away side until half time.
Within 15 minutes of the restart, provider of the first goal turned into the scorer. Conor Wilkinson received the ball 20 yards, shifted the ball out of his feet and struck a curling effort into the top left corner. The stunning strike from the number nine, levelling the sides as 2-2.
An incident involving the goal scorer soon caused controversy. The striker slipped in a penalty area with many travelling fans calling for a foul for simulation, meanwhile a mass huddle of 20 players accumulated in the penalty area, by the time it dispersed yellow cards were awarded to players from both teams.
With both teams pushing for a winner it was the away team who appeared to strike the final blow with five minutes left of the 90. Matt Harrold’s valiant defensive efforts in his own penalty area were to be in vain as clearances couldn’t pass Jake Taylor who’s perfect right footed effort rattled the station in the right corner of Dean Brill’s net, putting Vale into the lead for the second time in the match.
Staring down the barrel of a third successive league defeat, the hosts required a moment of magic within the six additional minutes. In the third minute od six added on, substitute, Jordan Maguire-Drew picked up the ball in the attacking half where he moved it onto his right foot to deliver an exquisite ball onto the head of Josh Wright who’s glancing header found the net, sending Brisbane Road into pandemonium. The midfielder’s aerial excellence put Orient on the right path to stop the rot ahead of the appointment of a new manager.
Player Ratings
Brill: 6
Widdowson: 6
Happe: 6
Coulson: 6
Ekpiteta: 6
Ling: 7
Clay: 6
Marsh: 7
Wright: 8
Dennis: 7
Wilkinson: 8
Subs:
Harrold: 8
Brophy: 7
Maguire-Drew: 7
