CLASSY O’S ARE ON THE MARCH
Bonne and Alabi fire Orient to win DRAGONS TURN UP THE HEAT ACCESS ALL AREAS AT SALFORD
LEYTON ORIENT got their National League title challenge back on track yesterday with a resounding win on the road at Maidenhead United.
Goals from Macauley Bonne and James Alabi proved enough for Justin Edinburgh’s men to see off the challenge of the Magpies as the O’s remain in second place.
Elsewhere, Salford City continued their surge at the top of the table, breezing past struggling Dover Athletic 4-1 – who parted company with manager Chris Kinnear on Friday, while there were also impressive wins for Hartlepool United, Wrexham and Harrogate Town.
THE irony wasn’t lost on AFC Fylde boss Dave Challinor as his side survived an aerial bombardment at Chesterfield. Spireites left back Sam Muggleton set the pattern by hurling half-a-dozen long throw exocets into the Fylde box inside the opening ten minutes – in much the same style as Challinor almost made into an art form during his playing days with Tranmere Rovers. And, as the final missile was defended as stoutly as the first, there was little to enthuse the fans – other than the farce of an immediately withdrawn red card for Curtis Weston. Challinor said: “I know how hard it is to defend against. We knew what to expect and when there are 22 bodies in there fighting for the ball, there’s always going be some contact with the home crowd looking for decisions. “I’m pleased with the clean sheet. It was hard work out there. “But I’d like to have seen us show more composure on the ball.” Virtually the only other talking point was referee Joe Hull’s decision to flash a red card at the Spireites midfielder for handball, then change his mind after consulting with his assistant. Instead Chesterfield were awarded a free kick for offside. Challinor commented: “There’s a lot of confusion about the offside rule. Usually it’s only given when the player
touches the ball, which wasn’t the case here.”
Justice was done in a roundabout way as a dismissal would have been ridiculously harsh on Weston in a game in which there was barely a bad foul. The physical battle revolved around Spireites centre forward Tom Denton, who got on the wrong end of a number of dubious decisions when being strongly marked.
“I didn’t know it was OK to put your hands round a player and wrestle him,” said Chesterfield boss Martin Allen. “I think the referee made a number of wrong decisions today and when we show him the evidence he might accept that.”
Allen understandably drew comfort from Chesterfield’s improved defensive resolve in restricting a side just outside the play-offs to very few chances. Understandably short of confidence, the home side condensed play and had the better of the first half.
Fylde were limited to a leftwing cross by Danny Rowe that fizzed wide of the far post early on and a clear chance in the 45th minute when a Rowe cross from the opposite side was smashed high into the stand by Joe Cardle,who had ghosted in unmarked.
Chesterfield struggled to create clear openings with Marc-Antoine Fortune seeing his 20-yarder deflected wide and later having another blast well blocked by Arlen Birch.
Weston was close to a 40thminute breakthrough when his far-post header from a Jerome Binnom-Williams freekick flashed wide before Denton’s header provided an easy save for Jay Lynch – the game’s sole on-target effort.
Fylde got a stranglehold after the break but a looping header by Zaine Francis-Angol that went wide from an unmarked position was as close as they came.
Allen added: “We have dug out two good results now with two good performances. “Everyone gave 100 per cent for the club.
“We know we still have to improve but this has given us a platform to build from.”
He also praised new signing Jordan Smith, who filled in competently at right back for Drew Talbot.
“I won’t repeat the word I said when we knew Drew would be out but Jordan’s a good player,” Allen said.
STAR MAN: Joe Rowley (Chesterfield) ATT: 4,021 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Joe Hull 5/10