Back November 10 th Home to Shrewsbury. Lisbie marked his start back from injury with a brace to notch our second win in eight games 2-1. Their goal came from the right side of the pitch. There was newspaper talk that we would sign another loan player but it didn’t happen. Team: Allsopp; Sawyer, Chorley, Clarke, Cook(Wagstaff - 84' ) , Odubajo, Rowlands, Smith (Cox - 79' ) , Lisbie, James, Mooney(Brunt - 69' ). Subs: Jones, Griffith, McSweeney, Wagstaff, Baudry, Cox, Brunt. Talk in the supporters club was that Moses was already sold and will go in the January window. We went up four places in the league thanks to those around us losing Portsmouth, Oldham, Hartlepool, Walsall and Coventry. Only Hartlepool had lost fewer games than us and nobody had scored less. Gloucester away inthe cup next 2 Scott McGleish has signed for Chesham United. Dean Morgan was playing for Wycombe. John Chiedozie's son Jordan has joined Dorchester Town from AFC Bournemouth a month’s loan. Simon Church turned out for Huddersfield. November 14 th . Never change a winning team I was always told but Slade did against Gloucester in the FA Cup by dropping some of the ‘old boys’. Fielding Allsopp; Sawyer, Baudry, Clarke, Odubajo, Cox, Griffith, Smith, James, Brunt, Moonney and subs Jones, Chorley, Cook, McSweeney (Odubajo -57’), Rowlands (Smith 86’), Lisbie (Brunt - 60' ), and Symes we left it late (87’) until James cossed for Mooney to head home. A minute later Cox pounced on a bad mistake and ran 20 yards to make it 0-2 from outside the box. Higlights. November 14 th . Away to Carlisle. We went a goal up on 18’ when Mooney headed a cross from Cox onto the bar with the keeper beaten. Luckily it bounced back into Mooney’s path. Sloppy Allsopp came out to meet a cross when Chorley had it covered. He punched thin air and they drew level on 25’. Chorley was credited with putting us in front a minute later but I’m not convince whether he touched the ball home or the ball bounced off him following a Cook corner. Great forsight by Lisbie led to a cross that found Cook unmarked and he tapped home the third. A defensive error in the Carlisle half let Lisbie in and he tapped the ball into the path of the galloping Mooney to place it wide of the keeper. Allsopp; Sawyer, Chorley, Clarke, Cox(Smith - 83’), Odubajo, Cook, Rowlands, James, Lisbie, Mooney and subs Jones, Baudry, McSweeney (Odubajo -57’), Grittith(James - 64' ), Smith, Brunt, and Symes(Lisbie - 75' ). Other ex O’s in the news were Darren Purse who go sent off for Plymouth and scoring goals were Daniels for Bournemouth, Gutteridge for Shrewsbury, Revell for Rotherham, Jarvis for Torquay, Church for Hudderfield and Cureton, his 13 th for Exeter. Marek Stech let in four playing for Yeovil. The O’s voodoo has been reversed for Charlie Daniels at Bournemouth when the man that signed him returned to manage the Cherries. Unfortunately it hit George Porter as the manager was Eddie Howe at Burnley. He will now have to impress new manager Sean Dyche. He has yet to appear for them. November 20 th . Away to 19th placed Portsmouth. We are 15th. A friend discribed Pompey as a team that looks like it has been thrown together. Allsopp gave away a penalty but saved it. Lisbie put us in the lead when he latched on to a lovely through ball from Cox and placed the ball past the advancing keeper. Odubajo made it 0-2 when he danced through the defence and smashed the ball into the net. Another penalty was awarded after Clarke had fouled. This time Allsopp didn’t save it. Lisbie scored from the spot on 62’ before a deflected shot made it 2-3. Team:Allsopp; Sawyer, Chorley, Clarke (Baudry - 72'), Cox(Smith - 77’), Odubajo, Cook (Griffith - 86'), Rowlands, James, Lisbie, Mooney and subs Jones, Baudry, McSweeney, Grittith, Smith, Brunt, and Symes. Wagstaff had returned to Charlton and Slade got Alex Smith on loan till January 2nd from Fulham where he has been for 11 seasons but only made one appearance for them. He is a midfielder that can play in defence. Rumour has it that he was signed because Sawyer was a booking awa from suspension. Billy Lobojit had been arrested. Rumour has it for driving a getaway car. That would end his Orient career if found guilty as did Palmer, Omozusi and Stanislaus. November 24 th . Home to Preston. Graham Westley had a reputation of managing a team of thugs at Stevenage and it appeared he has done the same for North End. O’s rode their luck in the early part of the match though every bounce of the ball did not go their way. Allsopp kept us in it with some good saves. The opposition shooting was woeful on a pitch which was flooded in some places and made passing a bit of a lottery. A cross from Cox was met by the head of Baudry, in for the injured Clarke to put us in the lead two minutes from the break. The holder of the chequered flag gave bin loads of offsides against us. On 61’ Rowlands clever chip over the defence lead to Mooney finding Lisbie to make it 2-0. Team:Allsopp; Sawyer, Chorley, Baudry, Cox, Odubajo, Cook (Griffith - 72’ ), Rowlands, James, Lisbie, Mooney (Brunt 86’) and subs Jones, Cuthbert, McSweeney, Grittith, Smith J, Brunt, and Smith A. November 25 th The death at 82 of Dave Sexton was announced. A former player Dave managed the O’s for just a year (1965). Maybe his short time here gave him some insight to management that he put to good use at Chelsea, QPR, Mancherster United and Coventry as well as the England U21’s. In the summer of 1965 he released some very experienced players in Syd Bishop and Stan Charlton to name two, He tried to fill their boots with players from lower divisions, Thorne, McGeorge, Rouse and Nicholas spring to mind. It didn’t work. December 3 rd Away in the FA Cup to non league opposition is always a banana skin ready to happen. We won 2-4 so you might say job done? If Alfreton had won the match 6-4 I would not have been surprised. Four times they hit the woodwork. The defence looked a nightmare but then again we were not fielding any recognised full backs with Sawyer having picked up another booking and therefore a suspension following a foolish tackle that he had no need to make. Chorley and Baudry looked clumsey and neither Smith A or Moses looked like back material as Alfreton took the lead after four minutes. Cox drew us level from inside the area with a well placed left foot shot into the corner ot the net. He did the same on the other side of the area in the second half when he played a one two with Mooney and placing his right foot shot into the bottom of the net, That made it 2-4 and inbetween Mooney scored two. Finally the far post cross came off and unmarked Mooney fired home. Another cross and this time he out jumped the defence to head home his second. Hull away in the next round. Team: Allsopp; Chorley, Baudry, Smith A (Cuthbert - 87' ), Cox, Odubajo, Cook (Smith J- 79' ) , Rowlands, James, Lisbie (Brunt - 90'), Mooney and subs Jones, Cuthbert, McSweeney, Grittith, Smith J, Brunt, and Symes. December 5 th Away to Northampton in the JP Trophy. Slade gave a run out to Jones and Cuthbert whilst Sawyer returned. We won 0-3 thanks to second half goals from Mooney, another two and Symes from the penalty spot. Team: Jones; Sawyer, Cuthbert, Baudry, McSweeney, Cox, Grittith (Smith J- 50' ) , Odubajo, James (Smith A- 82') , Brunt, Mooney(Symes - 66') and subs Allsopp, Smith A, Smith J, Symes and Obafemi. Away to Yeovil in the next round. Away to Bury next and they are also on a winning run. Alex Inglethorpe has left Spurs to take up a similiar post at Liverpool. Millwall have loaned Tamika Mkandawire to Southend. If you thought the UK teams were in trouble then spare a thought for the Greek club Panathinaikos. They cannot play under floodlights because they have not paid the electricity bill. According to the Daily Mirror that is. Slade will have to make some decisions on his short term contract players next month, I expect Brunt to return to Stoke but will Cook, Rowlands and Allsopp be given at least another short term contract? December 8 th Away to Bury. Lisbie scored a goal in each half to give us a two nil win and eight wins on the bounce. Team: Allsopp; Sawyer, Chorley, Baudry, Cox, Odubajo, Cook (Smith A - 87' ), Rowlands, James, Lisbie (Symes - 63'), Mooney and subs Jones, Cuthbert, McSweeney, Grittith, Smith J, Smith A and Symes (Smith J -80’). Clarke would be out for a month after breaking a bone in his leg against Portsmouth. Symes lasted 17’ before he went off with a hamstring injury. Don’t know what they are doing in training but it is weakening hamstrings. Up to 11 th in the table. December 15 th Home to second from bottom Scunthorpe. A ninth straight win would be a record so you knew how it was going to go especially as they gave away lots of tickets to the youth. We were away at the races as they won 1-3. Lisbie scored from the spot after a dubious penalty to make it 1-2. McSweeney took over at back as Moses went on the wing but he ran into too many tackles to be effective. He needs to know when to pass the ball. Team: Allsopp; Sawyer, Chorley, Baudry, Cox, Odubajo, Cook (McSweeney - 71’), Rowlands (Smith A - 79’), James, Lisbie (Brunt 90'), Mooney and subs Jones, Cuthbert, McSweeney, Grittith, Smith J, Smith A and Brunt. Notts County were four places above us and we visited them next. Cox was reported to be interesting other clubs with a bid expected in the transfer window. So said Sky Sports. December 20 th The death of Orient legend Stan Charlton was announced at the age of 83. Stan joined the O’s in 1952 playing 366 games for us and 110 for Arsenal. When he was let go by manager Dave Sexton he joined Weymouth as player manager and played 18 times before a cartilage injury ended his playing career. He was was their manager for seven years. December 22 nd The Notts match was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. December 25 th There were only three matches postponed for Boxing Day and we were the first to announce ours a day before. In the days when Charlie Hasler was the groundsman not only did we win awards for the pitch but very few were postponed and then I suspect only because the manager fancied it. Maybe this was the case as Sawyer did not play in the next match against Dean Smith’s Walsall. December 29 th Allsopp moved to the bench and Jones replaced him. The Orientear seems to suggest he had turned down a contract but that is not something I have read elsewhere. McSweeney replaced Sawyer so we started another match without a recognised full back. Two minutes before half time Mooney was bought down in the area but leapt up swivelled 180 o and shot the ball between the keepers legs to put us one up. A 30 yard shot 11 minutes from time drew the Saddlers level. Three minutes from time Griffith, on for Cook passed to Cox who took and couple of paces and left footed a cross which Mooney headed behind him and across the goal for Odubajo to slot home the winner. Team: Team: Jones; McSweeney, Chorley, Baudry, Cox, Odubajo, Cook (Griffith - 75’), Rowlands, James (Cuthbert - 90’), Lisbie (Brunt 83'), Mooney and subs Allsopp, Cuthbert, , Grittith, Smith J, Obafemi, Symes and Brunt. 14 th in the table which is three better than last years 17 th . Here is the blog for 2013. Previous page.