Jubilant Orient boss Ross Embleton: I forgot myself, but have no shame in that

Posted Wednesday, August 21, 2019 by PA

Even a yellow card could not halt Ross Embleton’s wild celebrations with Leyton Orient supporters after they turned a thrilling game on its head to win 3-2 deep into stoppage time at Mansfield.

Two Danny Rose penalties had the Stags in charge at the break, but Orient hit back with goals by Conor Wilkinson and Lee Angol before Jordan Maguire-Drew struck in the sixth minute of time added on.

“I said to the referee that he’d obviously never been involved in a comeback before,” smiled interim head coach Embleton.

“I said ‘if you are booking me for celebrating like that you probably never experienced anything like it’.

“I forgot myself, but I have no shame in that. I suppose I will have to take the yellow card on the chin.

“To go and celebrate with those supporters was fantastic. They backed us and stayed with us.

“We knew it was going to be tough here. It’s a good club with some very good players.”

He added: “The naivety to give two penalties away made it feel like it was going to be a long night.

“The big message at half-time was that we have to stop giving ourselves a mountain to climb. Fortunately today they climbed it.

“We have stepped up a level this season and today was another huge step forward.”

Marvin Ekpiteta felled Rose after 16 minutes and the striker sent Dean Brill the wrong way before firing a second spot-kick down the middle after Joe Widdowson needlessly fouled Kellan Gordon in the 29th minute.

Had Otis Khan’s 25-yard free-kick gone in and not hit the crossbar it was probably all over.

But Wilkinson headed home from close range after 64 minutes, then former Stag Lee Angol poked through the keeper’s legs from a tight angle in the 78th minute before he set up Maguire-Drew on the break with a low ball in front of goal to stun Mansfield.

Stags boss John Dempster said: “To concede three goals in the second half and walk in without a point is scandalous.

“There was a lack of leadership all over the pitch. We have some experienced players out there and they know they can do better.

“Me and my staff will look at ourselves and I expect my players to look at themselves.

“I thought we were good first half, though there was room for improvement.

“We spoke about the third goal at half-time and we had a couple of opportunities early in the second half we could have been more ruthless with to completely kill the game off.

“Orient throw the kitchen sink at us which you would expect being 2-0 down. I expect the players we have in that starting XI to soak up the pressure.

“We started the second half well, then suddenly we looked weak and powder-puff. We can do a lot better.”