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GUNG-HO GARY SILENCES BOO-BOYS

6 May 2009

David Yuill at The Den
dyuill@southwarknews.org

Millwall 2 - 1 Leyton Orient

A brilliant Gary Alexander brace hauled the Lions from a goal behind, to beat East End rivals Leyton Orient and secure a valuable three points in the final league game of the season.

Following a deathly quiet opening 45 minutes, the Os took the lead through Simon Church just seconds after the re-start, before former Orient striker Alexander - who suffered a lot of stick from the travelling faithful - firmly silenced the North Stand in an entertaining Den finale.

Skipper Tony Craig had called on a big performance before the game - and the Lions demonstrated neat and creative passing in spells, with Orient's midfield chasing shadows for much of the game.

But with Marc Laird on the bench and with Adam Bolder in a particularly quiet mood, the Lions were unable to find the cutting pass or final touch to release the front-men, who were made to work hard for their openings.

The visitors were gifted a golden opportunity to get off with a bang when Craig clumsily felled full back Charlie Daniels in the box after a marauding run eight minutes in and referee Graham Horwood pointed to the spot.

Up stepped on-loan striker Scott McGleish, but his tame side-footed effort was well read and well saved by Lions stopper David Forde, to deny his third spot-kick of the season.

With the Lions rallying after the penalty, optimistic defender Zak Whitbread almost scored from his own half. After Jason Price was fouled on the half-way line, the Liverpudlian stopped the Welshman taking a short-one, having spotted Os 'keeper Jamie Jones well off his line and he was just an inch wide of the mark, with the red-faced stopper frantically back-peddling.

Just a minute later, Price forced a brilliant one hand save from the busy Jones from his point-blank volley on the turn, having made space for himself inside the box. The best chance of the half fell to returning winger James Henry on 20 minutes, who will have kicked himself for not finding the net. He darted off his flank onto Alexander's flick and raced into the clear, but after composing himself he shot straight at Jones - who couldn't believe his luck.

As the half wore on, the visitors were unable to string three passes together, with their hosts completely dominant.
Some intricate passing on the edge of the Orient box between Bolder, Price and Alexander almost released Nadjim Abdou, but the young Frenchman was halted in his tracks by the faultless Tamika Mkandawire.

The Lions started the second half brightly and Alexander's header from Henry's cross stung the fingers of Jones. But that sparked a clinical breakaway that created the goal. Jones' long kick dropped to McGleish, whose ugly back-heel caught the Lions defence too square and Church raced in behind last-man Whitbread to slot home past the stranded Forde.

The Lions fans, directors and players were stunned by the goal but Craig quickly rallied his men, who went straight back on the attack. The introduction of Neil Harris at half-time and then Lewis Grabban shortly after saw Kenny Jackett's men step it up a gear.

David Martin had a great opportunity to level on the hour mark, when Jordan Spence completely missed Chopper's in-swinging cross and the ball whistled across the winger's path before he could turn home a yard from goal.
The pressure was mounting on the Os’ backline and with 20 minutes to go, they finally cracked.

Grabban picked out Alexander down the middle with an excellent clipped pass and the Kennington hit-man did the rest. His chest control took him between the Orient central defenders and his right-foot rocket flew into the bottom
corner, with Jones nowhere near his effort.

Henry, now operating on the left, nipped off his wing to let go of a fizzing thunderbolt heading for the bottom corner, that Jones could only parry to Harris whose effort was turned behind.

With the game petering out in a similar fashion to game at Brisbane Road and destined for a point-a-piece - Alexander stepped up to change the script four minutes from time. Reading loanee Henry danced down the left and hung a deep cross towards the far post that looked to have beaten everyone. But the 29-year-old nodded home from an acute angle into the tiny space between the scampering Jones and the right-hand upright.

The final whistle sparked a celebratory pitch invasion with the Den’s biggest home gate so far as the points, combined with MK Dons' shock home defeat to Walsall, meaning a top-three finish was still within reach.

Manager Kenny Jackett said he was delighted for Alexander and pleased with the significant win: "It was a very good game and a good team performance. It keeps us pushing for third or fourth and puts us in a good position going into the playoffs."Gary has been due a goal or two with the performances and effort he has been putting in and we are pleased for him."