ALLEN: TITLE’S OUT OF REACH
MARTIN ALLEN conceded the National League title after Chesterfield’s fifth successive loss but praised his luckless team’s display.
Describing last week’s performance against his old club Barnet as ‘magnolia’, Allen’s side were far from off colour before suffering a smash and grab act for a second successive Saturday.
They dominated for long periods against a disciplined Leyton Orient but after Zavon Hines was denied by a brilliant diving save by Dean Brill and man of the match Jerome Binnom-Williams smashed a post, the near inevitable happened in the 78th minute.
James Dayton arrowed a superb right footer into the roof of the net with almost the visitors’ first clear sight of goal.
A calm and reflective Allen said: “Our performance was one of our best of the season. We were much improved, and I enjoyed watching us play.
“We are not a million miles off. It’s not as if I’m standing on the touchline thinking we’re absolute pants.
“We won’t be champions now, as I’d hoped, but we must change things and get better.”
Whilst Allen put his own caution down to a misunderstanding with referee Simeon Lucas, his side were largely on the right wavelength.
They nearly made up for a 3.15pm start – due to a suspected gas leak – by playing with energy and verve from the first whistle.
Striker Chigozi Ugwu tested goalkeeper Dean Brill from a narrow angle in the third minute before Brill then flung himself to his right to keep out a flying Hines header from Joe Rowley’s superb cross.
Orient’s first response saw Josh Coulson’s 14th-minute header from a free position tipped over by Callum Burton but the Spireites continued to have the better of the half, mostly through the power of Binnom-Williams on the left.
He saw an effort deflected over after a clever touch by Hines midway through the half before latching onto an equally clever flick by Ugwu to fire into the side netting.
Perhaps the closest call of all came in the 31st minute when Binnom-Williams bus- tled to the byline and his low cross just eluded the sliding Ugwu.
Chesterfield were again on the front foot after the break but fell away after a brilliant 25-yard free kick by BinnomWilliams came back off a post.
Orient looked sharper with substitute Matt Harold on the pitch and his flick header set up their dangerman Dayton for a spectacular winner.
“That was as tough a game as we have had all season,” admitted Orient boss Justin Edinburgh.
“We knew Martin Allen would get a response from his team – and they did. We’re on a really good run and showed a lot of grit and determination. Our fitness and energy is helping us to get a goal late in games.”