LEYTON ORIENT: POST-MATCH REACTION

Put it here........

Davis. Butterfield, Fonte, Jaidi, Harding. Hammond(c), Chaplow, Dickson, Guly. Barnard, Lambert

Subs: Bialkowski, Forte, Martin, Seaborne, Lallana, Connolly and Gobern

Dale doesn't make it. Lallana can only make bench

Dickson crosses and Lambert heads in.

1-0 Saints !

Still 1-0 to Saints lots of pressure from Orient

2-0 Barnard

LO hit the post

FT 2-0

Saints up to 2nd

Gerrout of the way 'Udders. 2nd is ours to lose from now but I am not going to count any chickens yet. This was a potential banana-skin but Saints came through and there's another potential banana-skin on Tuesday at Rochdale, but win that and I think we will go on to secure automatic promotion.

Just back from a very enjoyable day out in Leyton Orient. The suns shone, we had a couple of beers and most importantly we came away with 3 points!

No Stephens or Richardson inside and Lallana on the bench meant we would have to battle to win this game. Match was fairly open but the small pitch both in length and width meant lots of balls knocked down long for flicks ons. Also meant not easy for much passing football. Orient were also physical and Richardson got clattered 3 times without getting nay protection for the ref Clattenburg. Saints had a free kick early on which Lambert blasted just wide. Orient had a goal disallowed for offside, we were down the opp end so no idea about the decision. Fairly stop start and Saints went closest again when a free kick out on right was taken by Lambert and instead of blasting crossed to the far post and Fonte had a great chance buy while he got power on his header was straight to their goalie.

saints took the lead on half hour mark when Dickson again got wide on left, eventually beat his marker and put in a great cross and Lambert coming in met at the near post to beat the goalie. Saints enjoyed some success down the left side and a run by Harding left to another cross missed by their goalie but Lambert was unable to turn it in putting over. Chaplow and Hammond were both having pretty poor games and Guly was giving away some free kicks.

Saints had a big let off just before the break when Orient had a couple of shots blocked by Davis but finally got a shot in which looked like going in. Thankfully an Orient player tapped in on the line and ruled offside. Again we were at the other end but looked like would have been a goal if he guy hadnt touched it and a s result saints went in at half time in front.

Second half again saints were under pressure and we really were struggling to impose our midfield. Davis made a decent save tipping over a specualtive shot, made more difficult as was off his line. Saints had a few corners to deal with and a few scary goalmouth scrambles. Gobern then came on for Guly, and then Harding following being clattered twice went off for Seaborne to come on.

Lambert had a cross which might have reached Gobern but put out for a corner though I doubt Gobern would have scored as he seemed unable to keep his footing. Butterfield then went off with about 10 minutes left with Martin coming on meaning we had 4 centre backs in the back four. Fortunately Orient just looked to pump the ball forward ion the air. Saints put the game beyond doubt with a break down the left with Lambert playing a great teasing pass for Barnard at the far post to control and blast in. Clattenberg at his best booked him for his celebrations despite keeping his shirt on!

Still time for Oreint to hit the post and rebound to fall to Davis to grab. Cue celebrations. Tough game and 3 crucial points and without Lallana playing. Injuries are mounting up though and its midfield where we are struggling. Chaplow and Hammond wer poor today, Hammond slow and misplaced passes Chaplow unable to exert any authority. Gobern came on and despite his physique didnt impress himself. No Lallana, Scheniderlin, Chamberlain and Stevens is leaving a big gap.

Hope that Richardson is fit for Tuesday if he is he should start. Hopefully Adam will feature and how long Stevens might be out Dickson had another great game and Jaidi who did look tired at the end had another good game.

Davis 7 another clean sheet though a bit of luck on occasions
Harding 7 Diffiuclt to deal with the high bounce and got clattered a few times.
Jaidi 8 another game where he dominated in the air
Fonte 8 with Jaidi were in command at the back
Butterfield 6 Distribution was poor in first half, just hoofing forward
Dickson 7 played out of position in midfield but good perfomance and great cross for first goal
Guly 6 Put in plenty of effort early on but is a bit all over the place and does give away free kicks when frustrated
Hammond 6 Lucky Schneiderlin and Stevens are injured, poor passing
Chaplow 6 Not the form he showed in the first couple of months, just doesnt seem to work well with Hammond
Lambert 8 Really good distribution, play wide right , scored good header and made second.
Barnard 8 another tigerish performance, in the ir face all game and deserved his goal.

Subs

Gobern 5 ball just seemed to pass him by
Seaborne 6 dealt with a few headers bit iffy on the ground
Martin 6 won some headers

Final points why if a premier league ref is crap should we have to put up with him? Clattenberg is so full of his own importance. And lastly good example of dumb policing. Found a pub in the high street full of Saints fans but mobbed so about 60 of us drinking outside in a blocked of side street just by the ground. No problems whatsoever then police van pulls up they get out and tell us to go inside if we dont will take our drink off us. Told one of the coppers to go and look inside the pub, it was packed! we stayed there in the end but they made the pub stop serving after a while which was a shame as dont think the pub had taken this amount of trade for ages

Thanks for the report Matty.

Delighted with the 3 points today. LO and Rochdale away were always going to be tricky games and I would settle for 4 points so to have 3 from the first game is very pleasing. Another 3 on tuesday and it will have been a great week for us.