O’S LOOK TO THE SPIRIT OF JOSH!
TALENTED youngster Josh Koroma shook off a training ground scare to help improving Leyton Orient record back-to-back victories at the expense of last year’s play-off finalists Boreham Wood.
The teenager, who scored in the 2-1 win at Maidstone United on Tuesday night, won the penalty which Macauley Bonne dispatched in the 69th minute for the only goal of the game in E10.
It was a deserved success for the O’s, but things might have played out differently had the 19-year-old not featured from the off.
Boss Justin Edinburgh explained: “We were touch and go with Josh. We didn’t think he would make it because he picked up an injury in training on Friday.
“We sent him for a scan and luckily it wasn’t as bad as first feared, but the evening before the game I didn’t expect him to play.
“I am glad he did and I thought he was a real threat and his work and hold up play and the areas he went into were unmarkable and he justifiably got the penalty this time which he should have got on Tuesday night too.”
While Orient created the better openings, Wood had their moments and manager Luke Garrard could be satisfied with their performance.
The visitors had the ball in the back of the net early on when Angelo Balanta tapped in Joshua Umerah’s header, but he was in an offside position.
Bonne went close for O’s soon after with a stinging drive before Koroma and Charlie Lee had efforts deflected away from Ellery Balcombe, the young loanee keeper from Brentford who impressed throughout.
It remained goalless until the break, but the second period began at a frantic pace with Craig Clay heading wide for Orient and then Ricky Shakes and David Stephens testing Dean Brill in the home goal.
Eventually the opener arrived in the 69th minute when Shakes caught Koroma in the area, referee Christopher Pollard point to the spot, and Bonne celebrated his new deal with the O’s, which runs until the summer of 2020, with a third goal of the season.
Orient had late chances to add to their lead, but Koroma saw a powerful effort blocked while Balcombe denied an effort from Jobi McAnuff.
Wood boss Garrard was left with mixed emotions, adding: “I thought it was a close game and we cancelled each other out. I didn’t think there were too many gilt-edged chances.
“There were times when we had the ball in their final third and they had it in our final third and in the second half it went like an NBA game – we attacked, they attacked.
“But I have to look at the referee’s performance and I thought he was poor for both sides. When you have both man- agers putting it on the fourth official you know he has not had the best of games.
“I am hearing the ball and player were outside the area for the penalty and I have to trust my players on that.
“But can I say my boys weren’t committed? No. Can I say they weren’t applied in their performance? No, because I thought they carried themselves in the right way with hard work.”