Vale in Tears

Leyton Orient (0) 3 Port Vale (1) 1

Nelson; Purches (Capt), Saah, Mkandawire, C Daniels; JJ Melligan, Chambers, P Terry, Demetriou (sub Corden 86); Boyd, Ibehre (sub Gray 82).

With a succession of first visits this year having ended disastrously – most notably Paul’s first away game at Priestfield and Spike’s first crossing of the Scottish border to watch Swansea’s Welsh wizards lay waste our winning ways, the FO’s waited with bated breath for the arrival of Bryan Daniels, in from Teutonia, to see his namesake, now established in the Orient’s starting line-up, as the Valiants came to town. No long memory needed to recall that first-ever game in this higher sphere, following an eternity in that pony division. How high the expectations we took then to Vale Park, just over a year ago now, and how deflated we returned after that early dose of reality administered by fairly modest opposition who would aspire to no more than mid-table mediocrity. Today, however, the boot is on the other foot as our table-topping talents look down on a Vale whose modest ambitions have instead consigned them to the relegation dogfight. And if the home squad differed almost to a man (Wayne Corden started and Jabo was on the bench) from the eleven which took the field at Vale Park, then Vale, too, boasted new blood in the guise of our very own Justin Miller, five years a much-loved O, and Shane Tudor who promised so much in two years on the flanks at Brisbane Road. Luke Rodgers, too, is a recent addition and a player whom we, too, would have been pleased to sign.

Fearful also of Bryan’s baleful influence and ever one to fight ill-omen with some token for the better, the Cobra welcomed his former mentor to the Gallery for his first visit since the Wet Sham friendly. This one-time exponent of the game at its best, he of Pegasus and England (amateur) fame in far-off days, is a man with a keen eye for footballing talent. Apprised in advance of the identity of the ex-O’s, he would soon declare that we were mistaken to unload the dazzling Shane who could yet cause us to regret our decision to part company. Martin Ling spoke of the highs and lows of recent weeks with the Swansea mauling, if not quite deserving of a five-goal losing margin, yet still a most disappointing performance, while the outstanding performance at Elland Road typified the players’ character and determination. The missing ingredient, he said, was consistency; no sooner had the media reported the latest crisis than we were back at the top of the league again. The Cobra remarked that that consistency needed to be found instantly, with half a dozen or more manageable games upcoming in the wake of the six difficult encounters which had preceded them. As good a time as any, if any, to be missing Sean Thornton for four games.

Warm and generous applause greets the return of Shane and Justin, each of whom would variously make their mark in this first session. Brian Saah returns to replace the injured Thelwell, Melligan regains his starting place in the absence of Thornton and, for the first time this season, the ebullient Ibehre is preferred to Wayne Gray as a starter. The visitors kick off and kick South, winning a throw in mid-park which Justin Miller takes. A cross from the left is cleared by Tam and Jabo gathers, holds and loses. Nothing unusual so far then! Now Adam Boyd wins the ball and finds Jabo. A shot, palmed out by ‘keeper Joe Anyon for a second shot from Adam Chambers which is deflected for a goal-kick. Good start! Tammy clears the kick, to Jason Demetriou, Boyd, Melligan and through to Jabo who is tackled for a corner on the right. Charlie Daniels takes, the ball cleared at the near post. Adam Chambers in with a shot but Anyon holds and Vale come away, winning a free-kick on the halfway line. The ubiquitous Chambers in with the tackle and Orient have the throw. To Jabo and Boyd and JJ who makes ground down the right and lays off back to Stephen Purches. A big cross which Anyon rises to hold under pressure from Ibehre. Brian Saah clears the kick, to Daniels, up to Boyd, on to Jabo and Jason, back to Boyd and out wide to JJ who miskicks badly, leaving Anyon to field with ease. Five minutes. Lively start. We appear to be in control.

Anyon’s kick finds his men offside. Nelson takes the free-kick midway into our half. Vale clear down the left. A big crossfield ball finds Justin Miller. Tammy clears the pass. Jason Demetriou contests with Shane Tudor who goes down, apparently injured, to derisive howls from the Gallery, Law Librarian to the fore, and “Tart” seemingly the buzzword, redolent more, supposes the Cobra, of the streetwalker than of Lewis Carroll’s Queen. Vale’s through-ball finds Luke Rodgers who fires narrowly over the crossbar from the edge of the box, so reminding us all of the skills for which we were once keen to bid. Vale come again and Tam gives up a throw by the corner flag. Justin Miller takes and reminds us of the talent foregone in his long throw. Into the box, a mêlée of players and Tam clears. Orient win a throw in mid-half. Daniels takes. Vale retrieve. Miller crosses. Tam clears, setting JJ off down the right. Orient have the throw, five yards over the halfway line. Purches to Jabo and Vale have the throw, fifteen yards up from the flag. The ball is passed back to Anyon. Brian Saah retrieves the kick and wins a throw just over the halfway line. Terry gives away. Boydy regains and gives to Jabo and Terry. A through-ball to Jabo who is dispossessed. Long clearance. Offside. The free-kick is ten yards shy of the halfway line. Nelson takes. Jabo nods on. Anyon collects. His long ball is collected by Charlie Daniels who, mindful of the upcoming final in Paris, kicks expertly into touch down by the far corner flag. Tricky throw for Vale. A foul against Shane Tudor brings more ribaldry from the Gallery as he goes down again. Ten minutes gone. Rather more even now.

Tudor with the free-kick – to Miller, who advances and shoots. Blocked for a throw which Miller himself takes. He finds Rodgers who shoots and Nelson goes down to smother the bobbling ball. Stuart clears. Jason Demetriou is fouled. Daniels feigns to take the kick and leaves for Demetriou. Tam is up with a header. Boydy with a header which hits the top of the crossbar!! So close! Vale clear. Offside. Nelson with the free-kick. Long. Anyon holds and kicks long. Tam is penalised and Vale have a free-kick wide left which Shane Tudor crosses the park to take. Daniels clears. A shot is blocked. Purches clears. Vale again and Paul Terry heads back to Nelson. Valiants again and Tudor on a run down the right. Daniels concedes a throw. Miller takes. Daniels clears. Vale again. Offside. Nelson with the free-kick. Demetriou to Jabo, out to Purches wide right who wins a corner on the right. Charlie Daniels takes and hits low and the ball is headed off. Fifteen minutes in. Stalemate.

JJ now with a throw on the left, five yards from the flag. Jabo on a run. Tackled. Penalised. Free-kick Valiants a few yards inside the bye-line. We clear the kick, Jabo to JJ. Orient throw. To Jabo and crossfield to Jason Demetriou. He shoots. Wide. Brian Saah clears the goal-kick. To Terry, Jabo, JJ who crosses. Boyd is up for it. Ball cleared. Chambo returns to Boyd and JJ who wins a corner. Justin Miller clears the corner and sets Shane Tudor away. Daniels tackles and concedes a throw. Tam clears. Valiants come again. Purches tackles. Vale win a throw on the left. To Miller on the right. He back to McGregor and he to Shane Tudor who crosses for the far post where Nelson holds and finds JJ. To Purches who beats one and gives long for Boyd. Throw Orient. Melligan, Jabo, JJ again. Vale clear. Chambers recovers. To Melligan, Jabo and O’s have a throw ten yards from the flag. Purches takes. To Jabo and Boydy. Lost and cleared. Saah recovers and finds Purches. Throw O’s. Offside. Anyon takes the free-kick. Daniels intervenes, to Jason Demetriou who clears to Jabo and JJ who cuts in and shoots. The shot is weak and Anson goes down to save. He kicks long. Purches clears to Jabo. He is tackled – fouled, even – but without recompense. A huge crossfield ball for Tudor and Orient have a throw midway into our territory. Daniels to Terry and lost. Daniels tackles Tudor on the right and concedes a free-kick. A crossfield ball for Rodgers. Cleared. Returned. Cleared now by Stephen Purches. To Boyd who holds and finds Demetriou with a through-ball. On to Jabo but Captain Pilkington is first into the breach. Twenty minutes out. Still pretty even but we seem to be on top of things.

Orient throw on the halfway line. Daniels to Jabo and JJ, who crosses too soon and the ball is cleared. Vale on the break and a cross-cum-shot looks dangerous. Stuart Nelson waits on his line, a rare moment of indecision, and watches gratefully as the ball passes over the bar. To JJ and Jabo but cleared. Now Paul Terry to Purches. Into the box and a shot from Jabo which rebounds off Stephen. JJ in to win a corner which Charlie Daniels takes. Anyon up and holds. Orient again from the kick and Boyd wins a free-kick around the centre circle, five yards inside the halfway line. Daniels takes. Headed out. Chambers returns. Out again. Chambers back again and through to Boydy who gets in a shot but scuffs the ball badly and Anyon takes the goalkick. Good chance wasted. Now Orient win a free-kick for a foul on Brian Saah. Purches to JJ and returned but Stephen is tackled. Tam heads clear the forward ball. Now Chambers in the tackle. Terry to Demetriou who makes ground and lets fly from thirty yards. Wide of the right-hand post (as we look) for a goal-kick. Fifteen minutes left and still haven’t made our mark.

From the goal-kick, Tammy passes back to Stuart Nelson. To Daniels who is fouled and we have a free-kick which Charlie leaves for Stuart. Up to Jabo and out to JJ for the cross. Boydy gathers, turns, shoots, but over the bar. From the goal-kick, Brian Saah is penalised for a foul and Vale have the kick five yards into our territory. Tam up and away for a throw to the Valiants. Miller takes. Purches clears to Boyd and Jabo and Daniels who gives long. Ball cleared, Jabo intervenes and gives away a throw to Vale which Miller takes a couple of yards shy of the halfway line. Tam up again and Vale now have the throw ten yards from the flag. A shot is blocked. Another shot blocked. Goal-kick? No. Corner awarded on the right. Tudor takes. To the far side where a shot from outside the box, at a fine angle, passes just wide of Nelson’s right-hand post (as we look). Ten minutes left. Vale resurgent. Miller clears the goal-kick. Throw Orient. Vale clear. Throw Port Vale. Miller again. Numerous abortive attempts to clear before Saah succeeds and is fouled for a free-kick on the edge of the box which Nelson takes. Short to Saah who gives long and Anyon fields. Saah again from the kick and we win a throw on the left ten yards from the flag. Purches takes. Vale clear and Justin Miller comes away. He makes ground and puts in a great shot from all of forty yards which passes narrowly over the crossbar. Nelson to Jabo to Demetriou and Daniels who gives a high ball. Jabo goes for it and is floored. The ball is moved back to Anyon who gives long. Tam up and out. Miller back to McGregor. Long. Tam again clears to Boyd, Jabo and Demetriou who makes ground and lobs tamely at Anyon. The kick is long again. Richards flicks on a through-ball and the hungry Rodgers evades any lingering opposition and tucks the ball into the far left-hand corner of the net. 1–0 Vale! Barely five minutes remaining. Who would have believed it? Same old Orient…..

From the re-start, Terry to Tam to Purches and a throw to the visitors on the halfway line. Chambers intercepts. To Terry, to Saah and back to Nelson who kicks high into the air. Demetriou gathers and passes back to Nelson again. Jabo, up for the kick, is fouled and we have a free-kick, ten yards outside the box. Daniels and Demetriou. Daniels takes and fires ten yards over the bar!! Time still for Shane Tudor to dazzle with another run down the flank. A minute’s extra time added. And we retreat to the warmth of the Gallery with very mixed feelings. How on earth can we be one behind to this lot? Yet we are. Surely an occasion ripe for a typical half-time pep-talk from Martin Ling. How many times already this season has he turned things round? Yet why should we raise our hopes when the last three home games have seen a lifeless 0 – 1 reverse at Dagenham’s hands, the 0 – 5 thrashing by Swansea and an almost-as-embarrassing 2- 4 reverse to the monkey-men? The mind wanders. What of their dressing-room? Dean Glover, caretaker manager, with not yet four weeks experience behind him. How will his team-talk go? Drafted, perhaps, as a spirit-raiser, in the expectation of being over-run by the title-contenders, he finds himself a goal to the good, and not entirely undeserved. “Ok, lads, you’re doing great. Just hang in there!” D’ah! “Look lads, you’re lucky to be alive. They’ll really come at you now. Let’s just hold on for the draw.” D’ah, again! Of all the encyclopaedia of information we have to hand these days, the content of those two team talks remains unavailable to us and we would learn so much from a transcript. We return to the fray. Our mentor regrets the sale of Shane Tudor. We tell him it was a right decision, as also for Justin Miller. The Cobra notes, positively, that Stephen Purches has enjoyed quite his best game of the season so far and is beginning to stand out, an example to all as captain. We wonder why and the Professor, ever ready with a sensible answer, suggests that he is, at last, match-fit again and we are therefore watching the real Stephen Purches. Makes sense!

Orient kick-off and kick South. Hooray! At last. Back to the Mackie days. Ball back to Daniels who gives long. Jabo gives away a goal-kick. Chambers up for this, Terry up for a second attempt. Free-kick against Demetriou on the halfway line. McGregor takes. Tam out. Jason clears to Daniels and back again. Long for Boyd who goes up and in but the ball is cleared for a throw to the O’s ten yards short of the halfway line. Daniels to Jabo and Jason and back to Charlie again. Crossfield to JJ but cleared. Purches now returns. To JJ and back to Stephen and on to Chambo. Purches beats his man. Down the line with JJ. We win a corner on the right. Daniels takes. To the far post where Tam’s headed attempt is saved on the goal-line. Tempo raised. We seem to mean business. Anyon’s kick is nodded back by Chambers to Nelson. To Jabo, Demetriou, Chambers, Daniels, Demetriou and Boyd who is brought down in the box. We all howl for a penalty but referee Thorpe ignores the pleas leaving more than a suspicion that it was Boydy who clipped Edwards and not vice-versa. The ball is cleared for a throw to Orient. Vale regain and attack again but are caught offside. Nelson takes the free-kick. Another smooth build-up out of defence leaves Terry to find JJ who is floored by Robin Hulbert. Yellow card from referee Thorpe. Daniels with the free-kick into the box. A mêlée or indeed melange of players and Pilkington is injured. The ball is cleared for a throw to Orient ten yards from the corner flag. Purches to Boyd and back. To Chambers and Daniels and Jabo but cleared out of harm’s way. Now Orient come away again and win a corner. The ball is cleared for Jason Demetriou to return to Brian Saah, still on the flank. He makes ground and crosses and there is Tammy, up for it, to head neatly inside the near post. 1 – 1 and suddenly we are back with a vengeance.

Now Purches with the ball. He carries into the box but is robbed. Orient again to Boyd who finds Chambers. Out to Melligan on the right. Another cross, not our strongest suit, and there is Jabo Ibehre with a low, stooping header past Anyon to give us the lead. 2 – 1! Complete turnaround. Jabo’s selection justified in spades. Vale, naturally, respond in force. Tudor with a cross from the right. Daniels misses but Chambers clears. Boyd is dispossessed. Tudor off on a run. Sliding tackle from Saah and we have a goal-kick. Nelson to JJ and Boyd who loses the ball and Rodgers is off on a run down the left. To Tudor and Hulbert and Miller. Terry tackles and Demetriou passes on to Boyd who is dispossessed again. Daniels clears, Demetriou gives long to Boyd. Back to Jason and on to Jabo. Out to Terry and Demetriou and back to Daniels who passes forward to Adam Chambers. He sets off on one of his trademark runs into the box which ends, as so often, with a last-ditch tackle, this time by none other than ‘keeper Anyon, bringing Adam down and leaving referee Thorpe to do no more than point to the spot. No room for doubt this time! Ever confident, Adam Boyd steps up to take and blasts the ball straight through Anyon, certainly not what the Cobra would have done, but enough, in any event, to stretch the lead to 3 – 1. Total, total turnaround in well under ten minutes. How ‘bout that for a half-time chat!

From the re-start, Purches clears long for a throw to Vale in the midst of their half. Edwards throws back into defence and the ball is returned long. Saah puts out for a throw ten yards our side of the halfway line. Back to Edwards and in to Rocastle who gives long. Saah hoofs into the West Stand. The throw is five yards from the flag. Fifteen minutes and more gone and Dean Glover unveils Plan B. Whitaker off, Jason Talbot on as substitute. Nelson with the free-kick. Shane Tudor returns long. Tam clears to Jabo who runs into the penalty area before giving up the ball. Orient again with Saah’s long ball to Jabo moved on to Jason D and his cross-cum-shot is held by Anyon. Five minutes of even, end-to-end play but with Orient now on top of their game. Daniels wins a throw five yards from the corner flag. Jabo nods on the throw and Paul Terry comes storming in, though with a weak shot which Anyon holds easily. Anti-climax. Twenty minutes gone.

Throw Port Vale midway into our half. It is long and Paul Terry gets up for it. To Purches who gives long. Jabo is in but the ball is cleared. Purches again with a cross which is cleared for a throw, a yard from the flag. Adam Chambers is fouled and we have a free-kick. Daniels and Demetriou exchange passes, looking for a way through. To Jabo who passes back to Chambo. To Jason for a cross. Boydy up for it but cleared down the left. Hulbert, Talbot, to Rodgers and Rocastle. Jabo intervenes. To Terry, Demetriou, Daniels and Chambers who is fouled. Free-kick Orient, three yards short of the halfway line. Daniels takes. To the by-line, where JJ prevents the ball from running for a goal-kick and wins a throw a yard from the flag. Vale clear but Saah tackles and returns, putting Paul Terry free inside the box for a shot. They say history never repeats itself. But, in a remarkable re-run of the headline incident from the game at Elland Road last week, Anyon allows the ball to go through his legs but, and sadly for us, it is scrambled back into the land of the living at the last moment. No goal. Play on! Vale clear long. Tam up and away. Melligan, Daniels, Demetriou, Daniels and a long, speculative shot from thirty-five yards goes just over the crossbar. Twenty minutes left.

The two sides exchange throw-ins. Dean Glover plays another ace. Ashley Westwood on, Justin Miller off, to warm applause again. Vale have a free-kick which Anyon takes. Saah out to Jabo who is tackled and Terry gives away a throw, ten yards from the flag. Terry clears. Vale come again. Melligan concedes a throw. Vale again and Terry is penalised for a foul. Free-kick Port Vale five yards outside the penalty area but Luke Rodgers blasts way over the crossbar. Nelson takes the kick. Fifteen minutes left. Demetriou to Tam and back. Vale recover. Edwards free down the left. To Jason Talbot who crosses. Nelson up and out. Boyd controls, feeds Chambers. To Terry, back to Tam and back to Nelson again. Boydy gets up to head out to JJ. Lost. Recovered by Brian Saah. Long to Jabo and on to Terry and back to Saah who crosses to the far post where Boyd just fails to reach and Vale have the goal-kick. Now Adam Chambers runs with the ball down the left, breaks into the box and, with only Anyon to beat, shoots five yards wide of the far post. Now Boyd from the throw with a through-ball for Jabo who wins a throw by the corner-flag. Purches to Melligan to Jabo who is caught offside. Free-kick Valiants. Chambers heads out. Anyon fields. To Jason Talbot who crosses high into the air. Stuart Nelson goes up to hold. Jabo heads the kick on, Vale return, Tam clears to Daniels. To Boyd who holds and puts a through-ball for Jabo who wins a throw-in, just five yards from the flag. Martin Ling brings Wayne Gray on in place of Jabo Ibehre and Dean Glover takes more time out to defuse a dangerous situation by bringing Willock on for Shane Tudor. Daniels with the throw on the left to Boyd. The cross for Gray who almost scores with his first kick. Corner. Now Demetriou crosses and Gray again up but Anyon down to save. Chambers to Demetriou now on the right. McGregor in to tackle. A fist, or similar, flies and fisticuffs begin. From the far side it seems that Jason has retaliated to a foul. We fear a red card. After the obligatory stern words, two yellow cards are produced, McGregor and Demetriou, and Vale have the free-kick, suggesting that Jason’s was the original misdemeanour. The kick is five yards inside the halfway line. Tam clears to Boyd and Terry. Wide to JJ who makes ground and is fouled. We have a free-kick by the flag. With less than five minutes left, Martin Ling replaces Jason Demetriou, presumably for his own good, with Wayne Corden. Daniels with the kick. Anyon saves. Then drops. On or slightly over the line. Leeds re-lived again! Vale win a free-kick for a foul which Anyon takes. Chambers gives a throw five yards our side of the halfway line. Vale break and, as ball and players cross the bye-line, Rodgers brings Tammy down on the cinder-track. Three minutes are added. Nelson with the kick. Gray up and to Boyd who wins a throw ten yards from the flag. Daniels to Corden and we have a corner. Corden and Daniels play around the corner flag to run down the clock. Terry passes back to Chambers who runs with the ball and is dispossessed. The ball is cleared and Brian Saah brings Calum Willock down, earning himself a yellow card with seconds left to play! More tomfoolery by the corner flag and just time for one more foul and free-kick for the visitors. We greet the final whistle warmly.

3 – 1. A good win. An excellent second half. Another telling performance from Jabo and a first five-star outing for Stephen Purches. The visitor relents. Tudor was anonymous in the second half. Perhaps you were right to sell him. Three goals? Only once before this season, at Bristol Rovers. Progress. But consistency must remain the byword. This form has to be retained through several run-of-the-mill games now, perhaps the most difficult of which will be the next at Doncaster. Just over a year ago, we found the Potteries a Vale of Tears. Now it is Vale in Tears as they return north, pointless and still mired around the foot of the table.

COBRA