So, after the midweek unlamented early goodbye to a meaningless (for us) cup competition it was back to the real stuff. Nobody needed reminding that having beaten them on the opening day at The Valley last time around Orient went on to have a far more satisfying season than us, so there would have been no grounds for complacency, with their opening day defeat at home to Bolton no clear guide as to their prospects. What we got was in many respects a repeat of the Wigan game as we doggedly kept a clean sheet and that provided the scope for us to take all three points having scored with our only effort on goal which seriously tested their keeper. Much more of this and ‘1-0 to the CAFC’ could become the mantra for the season. With no complaints.
The team showed one change from Wigan for the starting line-up, with Berry coming in to start in midfield and Anderson dropping to the bench. There was the welcome appearance of Godden among the subs, although with both Aneke and Kanu also included – would we really need three replacement forwards? - it looked like Jones was taken a chance defensively, with Edmonds-Green left out of the squad, ostensibly wing-backs Watson and Small providing the only defensive cover, with presumably one of them filling in if a central defender was injured. By the same token Anderson was the only replacement option in midfield. It would be the usual 3-5-2/5-3-2, perhaps providing a contrast with Orient’s anticipated 4-3-3, just as Wigan’s 4-5-1 had given us problems especially in midfield. A chance perhaps also to say welcome back to Sean Clare, perhaps also Pratley and Jaiyesimi, who were among their subs, although Clare was to prove the villain of the peace.
The first half was a pretty even affair with neither side fashioning any clear-cut opening. If anything Orient had the better of the slender opportunities, with a couple of shots blocked and one saved by Mannion after Gillesphey had slipped. Campbell undoubtedly caused them problems with his pace, but with no sign of any understanding with Ahadme or indication that he is learning the art of finding space and anticipating possibilities inside the box when out of possession. Ahadme in stoppage time had probably our best effort, heading a cross goalwards but with it bouncing down and back up to enable their keeper to gather it comfortably.
So the result was a competitive, quite lively encounter short of moments of quality to unlock two determined defences. At the break we’d had 58% possession and six attempts on goal, with two on target, against their four and one, but if anything they’d looked marginally the more likely to score.
The major incident of the half involved two players who had been having their own personal battle from the start: Clare and Edwards. The ball was knocked out of our box and Edwards ran for it pretty much in a forward direction, Clare coming in from his right. It was a loose ball, there to be competed for, but Edwards got there first and played it on, only for Clare’s challenge to come in just after. No question about the foul, no question a card, but yellow or red? Some Addicks were clear it should have been red. For me yellow was probably right, but Clare could have had no complaints if he was off. Really a case of whether his challenge was rash, whether studs were showing. As it was the person who left the field was Edwards, stretchered off. To say we hope the injury does not prove serious is a massive understatement.
The second half was equally tight and short on goalmouth action, but we were more in the ascendency, with Orient perhaps increasingly inclined to view a goalless draw as an acceptable outcome. The question whether Clare could be induced into getting another card, or being caught out not wanting to make a challenge, became whether or not substitutions by either side – with plenty of knocks and tired legs with an early kick-off and a game so early in the season – might make the difference. Orient made theirs earlier than us (Small replacing Edwards notwithstanding) and for a while it seemed their fresh legs might swing the balance as we tired, especially up front.
In the end Jones waited until the 75th minute before Aneke and Godden were introduced, for Ahadme and Campbell. Chuks of course was involved in mauling contests from the off, Godden looked more likely than Campbell to be able to read a situation and take advantage. But the game was going into stoppage time, with both managers having been shown yellow cards, before the deadlock was finally broken, thanks to us having midfielders ready to take a chance and get forward. An ordinary ball forward was competed for by Aneke and it dropped for Coventry to take a touch to the side. That was probably with the thought of getting a shot away himself, but instead it ran for Berry, who had got ahead of his marker. He calmly planted it low into the corner past their despairing keeper.
After that it was to the corner flag at every available opportunity, but we saw out the eight minutes of added time without alarm, to for the second Saturday running to win a game that undoubtedly last season we would not have done. It’s inane to say that clean sheets make all the difference, but my word not having to chase the game and having the luxury to be able to wait for an opening and for one to be enough is nice. For that we can thank the back line, and those in front of them. One thing that struck me was that Mitchell was shouting and pointing at those around him, showing the kind of leadership we have been missing – and which Steve Brown has been despairing of. We’ve yet to show that we can win in style, I still think Jones got away with an unbalanced bench, but all those thoughts can wait, let’s enjoy the moment.
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