You always fancy Lawrence Vigouroux to make the save – Richie Wellens

Posted Wednesday, September 14, 2022 by PA

Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens praised Lawrence Vigouroux after the goalkeeper’s stoppage-time penalty save secured a 1-0 win at Rochdale.

League Two leaders Orient had been the better side for long periods of the game and led via George Moncur’s 34th-minute strike, with Rochdale keeper Richard O’Donnell having pulled off a number of saves to keep his side in it.

And the home team had an opportunity to snatch a point from the jaws of defeat when Tyrese Sinclair seized upon a misplaced header and was brought down by Vigouroux deep into time added on.

But the goalkeeper saved Scott Quigley’s spot-kick to protect his team’s three-point lead at the top of the table.

Wellens said: “It was a really good win but we need to do better because we should have been two or three up.

“It was a great save from Lawrence and you always fancy him because he is such a good goalkeeper.

“I was just disappointed in the way that we lost control of the game. I was making subs in the last 15 minutes to hold on to the game rather than going for the second because we just didn’t pass the ball.

“I thought we were the dominant team in the first half and could have been three or four goals up.

“Their keeper has pulled off a really good save and we’ve had a couple of melees where we should have pulled it back and made better decisions, more quality in the final third.”

Defeat left Rochdale winless in the league and bottom of the table.

But boss Jim Bentley took some positives following his first home match in charge.

He said: “We were playing a good side, top of the division and a side that had a certain swagger to them that comes when you are full of confidence and playing well.

“For ourselves, we’re in a sticky situation and could have felt sorry for ourselves but one thing I’ve been touching on daily and coming into games is competing hard, emptying the tank every day and taking that same work ethic and application into games.

“Did we get that? I think we did, everyone had a right good go.

“We lacked quality at times and composure was poor, but there were some bright moments and things to be positive about.”