Rochdale played a game of possession football, happy to knock the ball around between each other and wait for openings to present themselves. Orient sat off them far too much, allowing Rochdale time and space, with the result that we spent a lot of time in our own half, watching them pass the ball in defence on the halfway line.
We had little in answer to Rochdale's tactics. McGleish and Chambers were left out, in favour of Jarvis and Smith, neither of whom really contributed all that much. Orient were reduced to hopeful long balls that came to nothing and after going behind just before half-time, we looked devoid of inspiration.
The penalty early in the second half looked like getting us a useful point, though, and I was just thinking that a draw wouldn't be a bad result, when Dawson played a lovely ball into the area for Cox to stroke home the winner.
Although Rochdale piled on the pressure in the last 15 minutes, we held on for the win, Chambers coming on for Cox to shore things up in midfield. All in all, against opponents who looked technically superior, it was a creditable win.
It was nice to see Dawson back, and Cox and Daniels were lively throughout. However, we can't come from behind every match. We've got the players to play a more sophisticated style, we need to gain the confidence to do so without slipping back into our bad old long ball habits.
Leyton Orient
- 12 Butcher
- 02 Omozusi
- 04 Chorley
- 06 Forbes (yellow card)
- 07 Cox (Chambers 79)
- 08 Dawson
- 13 Daniels
- 16 Spring
- 20 Smith
- 11 Revell (Tehoue 90+5)
- 14 Jarvis (Walker 59)
Substitutes
- 01 Jones,
- 03 Whing,
- 05 Brown,
- 19 Mike,
- 10 Chambers,
- 18 Tehoue,
- 25 Walker
Rochdale
Substitutes
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