Another trip to Brisbane, another defeat, another blank scoreline. Why is it that season after season, Dale visit Orient and get nothing for their efforts.  

Another trip to Brisbane, another defeat, another blank scoreline. Why is it that season after season, Dale visit Orient and get nothing for their efforts. Every year without fail. Any why do we seem to suffer from poor referees here more than anywhere else?

This was certainly a game of two halves as Dale slumped to a three goal defeat at traditional bogey ground Brisbane road. Although Leyton Orient are flying high in the division and manager Tommy Taylor had just been awarded manager of the month for February, they were made to look a very average side in the first half as Dale had the majority of the possession and should have led at half time. The second half saw some shambolic defending by Dale, and could have suffered a much heavier defeat than they did.

With Michael Holt suspended following numerous bookings, there was a return to the side for Robbie Painter who had to put up with a place on the bench for the last couple of games. There was also a return to the side for Gareth Stoker who signed a two and a half year contract with the club on Friday.

Dale started looking very comfortable and Orient hardly got a sniff in the opening ten minutes. Stoker and Lydiate made some tough tackling in midfield and it looked for all the world that a third consecutive away win looked on the cards. Orient came back into it soon and it was thanks to Mark Monington that we never conceded a goal after about fifteen minutes when with Edwards beaten, he headed the ball over the bar from virtually the goal line. Mono, who was rumoured to be a Liverpool target last week, had looked very solid in the first half. Peakey was coming up with his usual high quality passes in the first half, and it looked a matter of time before we would score. Indeed just before half time, it looked like that was the case. A cross came in following a corner, and Robbie Painter fired the ball against the post, the ball rebounded and the ball was put wide by a defender following a scramble.

The subsequent corner was wasted. It was then signalled that there was one minute to go. NINETY SECONDS LATER, a long ball was passed out to the right hand touch line, with Griffiths looking suspiciously offside, he crossed the ball in to Ampadu who climbed all over Monington to head the ball into the back of the net. You never get used to the refs we get at Orient. The goal was rough justice for Dale who had controlled much of the half.

However this was the new improved Dale who had shown real character in recent games. They had shown the confidence and spirit to get back into matches in recent weeks. Not today I'm afraid.

The second half saw Orient have plenty of opportunities and could have scored five or six with the Dale defence in chaos. The second came with Mark Stuart preparing to come on as a sub. It was a nice passing move following a clever back heel leaving former Man City player Carl Griffiths to fire home from the edge of the box.

Not longer after Orient should have been reduced to ten men following an awful challenge on Mark Stuart. Stuey made a typical Stuey challenge. It was a little bit late and clumsy, but not malicious. However the victim then at the next possible opportunity took Stuart out with a crude challenge from behind. It was exactly the sort of challenge that FIFA outlawed before the World Cup. A red card offence without any doubt. The offender escaped with a yellow card. Of course, a few minutes later the said Orient played a vital part in the third goal. A great cross left Griffiths to knock the ball home from just a couple of yards out. The scene was reminiscent of Graham Taylor ranting about Koeman in Rotterdam.

The rest of the game saw Dale escape several times as Orient tore the Dale defence to shreds. At times we were very lucky. It could have been much more. There was no five nil defeat for the Clarets this week to cheer us up with either this week.

Dale Edwards, Carden, Barlow (Stuart), Bayliss, Monington, Farrell, Lydiate, Painter (Lancashire), Morris, Peake, Stoker.

Photo: Action Images

Queens Park Rangers Polls