Fleetwood Town 1 : 1 Leyton Orient - Pay back as Dobbie denies Os

Posted Sunday, August 31, 2014 by PA

Former Blackpool striker Stephen Dobbie lashed home his first goal for Fleetwood to preserve their unbeaten record in Sky Bet League One as they drew 1-1 with Leyton Orient.

Fleetwood bossed the opening stages, three times testing Adam Legzdins in the Orient goal.

Full-back Stephen Crainey was instrumental in all three. First he played a neat one-two with David Ball before launching a stinging blast, which was tipped wide of the post.

Then he picked out the run of Gareth Evans down the left, his cross in turn picking out Ball, who forced a reflex save from Legzdins. Jamie Proctor charged in on the rebound but was just unable to finish.

The home side could easily have been ahead by the quarter-hour mark, but soon found themselvse on the back foot.

Orient's experienced wide man Jobie Macanuff played an important role in the turnaround and would soon be the provider for the first goal scored against Fleetwood in open play since May 3.

There had been two warning shots for Graham Alexander's side, Darius Henderson twice allowed space to head inside the box, but the striker failed to test Fleetwood goalkeeper Chris Maxwell.

The woodwork had already been rattled by Henderson when he was left totally unmarked at the back post. Maxwell got down low to get a leg to the ball but was unable to prevent it creaping under his body.

Fleetwoood turned up the pressure after the break and forced Orient's defence into mistakes.

The home side thought they had levelled when Jamie Proctor smashed home the loose ball after Legzdins could only parry Ball's blast - only to be denied by the offside flag.

Dean Cox almost combined with Henderson to put the game beyond reach as another free header shook the crossbar.

But it was substitute Dobbie who rescued a point for the home side.

Sloppy defending gifted Josh Morris a chance to run into the box, the on-loan Blackburn winger taking on two men and teeing up on-loan Palace man Dobbie top smash home.

Matty Blair could have grabbed a winner when the ball rebounded back into his body off the Orient goalkeeper as Fleetwood finished strongly to ensure a share of the spoils.