LATE HORROR SHOW FOR O’S
After a breathtaking 90 minutes at Brisbane Road, Leyton Orient and Gateshead will have to do it all over again in the last-eight of the FA Trophy on Tuesday night – much to the bemusement of O’s head coach Justin Edinburgh. The hosts looked to be cruising in the 57th minute when Josh Coulson headed home a Josh Koroma free-kick to make it 3-0. Stunning strikes from Koroma and Ebou Adams had given the east Londoners a great chance of reaching the last-four before Steve Watson’s Heed produced a stunning response. Orient are now preparing for minus temperatures and snow in Gateshead on Tuesday night, and Edinburgh said: “We shouldn’t be worrying about the weather because we shouldn’t be going there, but we are and I can’t tell you how disappointed I am. “We have to accept it and we have spoken about it in the dressing room, so we have to accept the responsibility. “I do and the players do and we have to show a reaction to the disappointing end to what was a very bright start to the game.” The comeback started when Watson introduced Danny Johnson and Rees Greenwood in the 58th minute, and 10 minutes later the former converted Scott Barrow’s cross to make it 3-1 – suddenly there was hope for the home side. Johnson completed his brace and reduced the deficit to one with 68 minutes on the clock, when he fired past Dean Brill from a tight angle. Gateshead kept on pushing, and got their reward right on the 90th minute when a cross from Greenwood found Richard Peniket in space, and he headed home with ease. Watson said: “Early on in games you don’t run over teams like we did in the second half. “We have to be clever, we have to stay in the game, defend well and keep the ball well. “We know we are a fit team, so in the last half an hour we know we can come on strong and we’ve done it so many times. “As I say, we need to start a lot better and hopefully this comeback will give the players a bit of belief because I can tell them as many times as I can and I can bring people in to tell them like I have, but they need to believe in themselves from within.” It’s all to play for now heading into Tuesday’s replay, but Orient will be furious they don’t have the night off after seemingly having put this tie to bed.