Stockport County 0 Leyton Orient 0 ( Football League 1) Saturday 7 February 2026

 

 

 

 

County and Leyton Orient fought out a 0-0 draw today at Edgeley Park in a game spoilt  by the visitors` time wasting tactics, and Referee Andrew Humpries` inability to deal effectively with same.

Second best for long periods of the first half to Richie Wellens Leyton Orient side , County proved  unable thereafter to produce a shot that would test visiting keeper and deadline day signing Tobi Oluwayemi, despite numerous attempts.

` 2 points lost ` I fancy I hear you exclaim, and that`s undeniable ,but with County reduced to 10 for the last  20 minutes  , and noting the  not inconsiderable effort made by the 10 tasked with seeing the game out, despite our apparent lack of fire-power, I am slightly more sanguine , willing to acknowledge that the 1point we did come away with might prove crucial come seasons end!

So, we take it and look to improve , and we have the ideal chance to work something out on Tuesday  away to Port Vale in the EFL Trophy Quarter Final ,let`s get there and help them do it!

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County had a fair amount of difficulty getting a grip on this game from the start- Orient seemingly here for the points spending the first  9 minutes camped deep in the blues half- and disappointed to see a header by Will Forrester fly narrowly wide on 4 minutes.

It went on in much the same vein – County indebted to Ben Hinchliffe for just 1 of many significant saves that served us well today- doing brilliantly well to deny another deadline day Orient signing James Morris  on the end of a neat pass by Ollie O`Niell .

The first sign of life from County came 10 minutes in, but Tanto was adjudged to have fouled his marker by the Referee ,ending the raid.

Favour Awunmi was looking to be a lively lad for Orient, and  if he did well to get a shot off 4 minutes later, Hinchliffe did even better to see it through the forest of legs twixt him and the Orient number 19 and make the save!

County continued to struggle to settle on a methodology that would sort their opponents, but a free kick on 17 minutes  did not seem to offer the  blues a chance to nick the opener and it was a surprise to see Norwood`s kick twang the angle of bar and post with Oluwayemi beaten.

We of course then got another free kick 2 minutes later , one in an altogether more scoreable position , in fact smack in Norwood`s range , after an intuitive long ball to Wootton by Hinchliffe was moved on to Tanto who was upended by Clare!

Norwood elected to lift the ball across the box to Hills and Orient were quick to snuff the chance out.

A reply from Orient was not long coming through Archibald whose run set up Fawunmi , only for Nathan Pye to block his path to goal conceding a corner. Woots headed this clear and the danger was averted!

Neither Fawunmi nor Pye were quite done though, the latter still in prime form seeing another threat from the former off with consummate skill.

County needed to put a coherent response together, but this looked to be proving to be difficult to achieve- they were too busy defending for the most part- Wootton and Hills particularly outstanding as an Orient free kick increased County`s angst.

At the other end of the park Wootton was having less good fortune being unable to force Osborn`s inviting cross home , half an hour in.

Hills joined the ranks of County men earning defensive kudos next, keeping another effort from Fawunmi out  4 minutes later.

But frustration mounted- firstly seeing Oluwayemi stranded out of his area , and County failing to take advantage….and then seeing an exciting move fizzle out-started by Hinchliffe, moved on to Dacres-Cogley and a one/two twixt him and Diamond- it looked really promising until Diamond dithered and it didn`t !

The frustration only increased again as directly from the last action , County found themselves back defending an Orient free kick having been caught on the break. Thankfully Pye was on hand to again plug the gap for the blues!

A break by Tanto got the EP faithful roaring next but his final ball saw Edun `s route to goal snuffed out.

The last 5 minutes of the half   saw County push Orient back -Forrester doing well for his side to block an effort by Diamond – Happe earning more plaudits from Wellens by heading another goal bound shot ( not sure who by) off the line.

It went on….corners forcing Orient back- County making nothing of them.

It was 0-0 when the teams went in at half time and I hoped for better in the second half with the blues attacking the Cheadle End.

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County might be attacking the Cheadle End now, but the early excitement began at the other end where a break by Archibald ended with him whacking a terrific shot against the bar !

That was a shock ,but it stayed 0-0, as it did 3 minutes later when Tanto was beaten to a flick on from Wootton by Oluwayemi…..and again 4 minutes on from that action when a dangerous run by Fawunmi was stopped by a terrific block by the excellent Ethan Pye.

County were constantly under the cosh ,and little was coming back at Orient so it was no real surprise to see DC make personnel changes next, bringing Bate, Stokes & Sidibeh on for Edun , Bailey & Tanto.

The changes seemed to inject new life into County- Sidibeh looking particularly lively- blocked at the last gasp reaching for Osborn`s cross- Forrester ushering another Sidibeh ball to safety for Orient 4 minutes later.

We were into the last 20 minutes of normal time now , and Orient began to run through their repertoire of dark arts  - starting with the keeper who sank to earth causing a break in play with the ref obliging the visitors with a stoppage.

It went on- lengthy goal kicks…….funereal paced substitutions …..no wonder Bate had words with the ref !

When play resumed County were on the front foot- Sidibeh foiled by quick thinking from Oluwayemi with 15 minutes left- Stokes close but unlucky.

Then with 10 minutes normal time left…..calamity…. as a tug on a shirt by Dacres – Cogley saw him get shown a second yellow by the ref followed by a red.

County were reduced to 10 now  and up against it!

DC acted quickly, but not as quickly as Ben Hinchiffe who, taking a leaf  out of Orients playbook, sank to the ground causing the ref to pause play .

The delay allowed DC to switch Dixon for Diamond, and I must say that what I saw of Dixon I liked!

The newly  acquired numerical advantage perked Orient up no end, and County came under some pressure from the re-start- doing well to deny Abdulai on 82 minutes…Stokes doing even better clearing a shot by O`Neill off the line 2 minutes later.

Surprisingly perhaps , most of the attacking was now coming from County- who were getting no help from the ref as Clare went to earth  as County attacked prompting another stoppage, and of course this ended the County move- Orient reorganised and well rested upon the re-start courtesy Mr H .

There was a sweet move from County following that little panto- excellent work  by Osborn seeing Wootton`s underpowered header easily held by the visiting keeper.

We reached 90 minutes  with County still taking the game to Orient- a Dixon throw being flicked on by Wootton to Bate who then lifted the ball high over the bar.

We now had 10 added minutes to deal with, which seemed to probably lengthen the odds on County getting anything from this game points wise!

But what do I know…..

91 minutes- an Orient free kick sees Hinchliffe punch clear under pressure .

92 minutes- County attack but Osborn`s shot carries the bar….

County were winning the second balls forcing Orient onto the back foot, but Stokes` shot drifted wide 2 minutes later!

Then on 96 minutes it was `hearts in mouths` time as a slip by Hills allows Koroma through and with the free scoring Ballard ready to pounce Hinchliffe smothered the ball throwing himself onto it  saving the day for County!

  Stokes….Sidibeh …..Bate ….Osborn..Dixon were to the fore in what remained of the game for County who claimed a point…and Ben another clean sheet-seldom has one been so richly deserved!

See you at Port Vale on Tuesday- I hope so…your County needs you!

Stockport County line up –

 Hinchliffe, Dacres-Cogley, Hills, Pye, Diamond (Dixon 81), Bailey (Stokes 61), Norwood , Osborn, Edun (Bate 61), Wootton, Olaofe (Sidibeh 61).

 

Unused Subs: Addai, Olowu, Mothersille.

 

Leyton Orient line Up ;-

Oluwayemi , Morris  , Happe ( Simpson 70) , Forrester , O`Neill( Korama 89) , Bakinson , Fawumi ( Abdulai 64) , Levitt ( Casey 70) , Clare , Ballard , Archibald ( Wellens 70).

Unused Subs : Cahill , Matthews.

Attendance: 9162 ( 478)

hedgegrower

 

 

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