As Orient succumbed to their eighth home league defeat of the season a number of fans will have looked in the back of their programmes to count up the 9 away games we have left, compared to just 7 home fixtures. After a 3-1 home defeat eerily reminiscent of the surrender to Oldham in September everyone is left to wonder exactly why Orient seem unable to perform at home, grateful that we have enough away games to avoid slipping down the table. Considering some of the performances that have been dished up, fans have been remarkably loyal and haven't been on the players' backs. You don't sense edginess and doubt amongst fans either because quite often we are going into games off the back of decent away wins. Not enough for soaring expectations, just a positive feeling around the place. And yet on too many occasions the team has come out completely flat.
Today started no differently but Scunthorpe were almost a mirror image of the Os and slowly but surely the home team took control of the game. However, despite dominating possession Orient failed to create very much with it, largely because they couldn't get the ball to Dean Cox. Getting frustrated Cox resorted to coming infield searching for the ball but when he got it he was in no possession to use it. When he laid it off to someone else they would look for Cox on the left flank - and of course he wasn't there.
Scunthorpe were combative and were tasked to compete for every ball and whilst they won the physical battles they were unable to retain possession having done so. This lead to the breakthrough, a succession of challenges drawing Cox's markers towards the ball and leaving him one on one with the full back. Channelling his frustration and determined to make the most of having the ball at his feet on the wing Cox charged inside and put a cross straight onto the head of Jonathan Tehoue to open the scoring. The goal led to the Os enjoying even more possession but still the chances didn't come. Still there was every reason to be confident because as lacklustre as Orient were, Scunthorpe had failed to respond to going a goal down and showed no sign of doing so.
That all changed in the second half as Scunthorpe came out looking like they had Orient just where they wanted them, with the home side reduced to little more than observers. The pressure they were able to exert led to Josh Walker volleying an equaliser past a statuesque defence and Russell Slade tried to spark some life into the team by replacing Taiwo with George Porter. It had little effect on Orient's ability to attack with any purpose but the Os looked even more vulnerable defending without Taiwo harassing Scunthorpe's midfield. Sure enough 5 minutes from the end ex-O Andy Barcham poked home a winner. To rub salt in the wound Jon Parkin scored a third, Lee Butcher seriously injuring himself in the process. Having juggled a cross Butcher appeared to land awkwardly and sustained a knee injury, spilling the ball straight to Parkin. Time will tell how bad it is but it is unfortunate for Butcher who had been getting better all of the time. It was a fitting end to a miserable afternoon.
There were some bright points - Ryan Dickson was the most willing to meet the physical challenge, Soloman Taiwo was energetic and wanted the ball all over the pitch and Scott Cuthbert showed that not all Scottish goalkeepers are suspect. But Russell Slade has to find a way to bring the team out of their shells at home because we are being contained too easily by visiting sides and it has cost us the opportunity to mount a play off challenge.
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