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Peterborough United
League One Playoffs | Semi-Finals
May 10, 2014 at 12.15pm UK
 
Leyton Orient

1-1

FT(HT: 1-0)
Odubajo (72')

Live Commentary: Peterborough United vs. Leyton Orient - as it happened

Find out how Leyton Orient battled back for a 1-1 draw at Peterborough United with Sports Mole's text updates.
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Peterborough United played host to Leyton Orient at London Road in the League One playoffs this afternoon.

The hosts took the lead early on through Britt Assombalonga, but Orient claimed a draw ahead of the second leg thanks to a strike from Moses Odubajo.

You can find out how the contest unfolded with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.


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Morning all. So, after 46 matches over the course of 10 months, it's come down to the playoffs. Vying to gain promotion to the Championship are Peterborough United and Leyton Orient, who will play the first leg of their semi-final at London Road. We will cover all the action here.

There is no team news from Cambridgeshire just yet, but the players arrived at the ground a while ago. It shouldn't be too long until we get confirmation of the two starting lineups.



And just as I say that, some team news does indeed filter through. Let's begin with the visitors...

LEYTON ORIENT XI & SUBS:



The big news for Orient is that Scott Cuthbert has returned from injury to feature in defence, which has seen Gary Sawyer drop down to the bench. Elsewhere, veteran striker Kevin Lisbie will continue his partnership with David Mooney, while Dean Cox will play in the heart of the midfield.

And now for hosting Peterborough...

PETERBOROUGH XI: Olejnik; Alcock, Little, Baldwin, Ntlhe; Swanson, Bostwick, Payne, Rowe; Assombalonga, Ajose

PETERBOROUGH SUBS: Day, McCann, Newell, Knight-Percival, Washington, McQuoid, Isgrove

Posh boss Darren Ferguson has made a host of changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Port Vale last time out. Leading goalscorer Britt Assombalonga and captain Tommy Rowe have returned to the team, as have midfielders Michael Bostwick and Danny Swanson. However, there is no space for Grant McCann, who has had to settle for a place among the substitutes.

So, what's going to happen today then? Well, despite the fact that there was 12 points between the sides over the course of the season, there was little to separate them during the two meetings this term. Orient ran out 3-1 winners at London Road, but in the return fixture, Posh gained revenge thanks to a 2-1 victory at the Matchroom Stadium.

Looking ahead to this contest, Orient captain Nathan Clarke recently told the club's official website: "I think finishing third for us is a fantastic achievement, breaking the record number of points for the club as well.

"It'll be difficult. Peterborough have been in the playoffs recently so they have that experience. They are high scorers and likely to play attacking football so we have to be aware of that. Knowing that we couldn't go up automatically a few weeks ago has allowed us to re-focus over the past few weeks and you can see the belief within the squad."


As for Peterborough manager Ferguson, he told The Peterborough Telegraph: "Orient have had a fantastic season and they will be tough opponents.

"They gave the best away performance by any team when they won at London Road earlier in the season and they have a very under-rated manager in Russell Slade. I like him a lot, I get on very well with him, but because he doesn't blow his own trumpet very often he doesn't get the recognition he deserves."


A good omen for Peterborough perhaps? When asked on Sky Sports just now which of the four teams in the playoffs have impressed him this season, MK Dons manager Karl Robinson said: "Peterborough were the most impressive at our place".

And here is Peterborough skipper Rowe:


These two teams are certainly no strangers to the playoffs. Peterborough have competed in them three times and have gained promotion on each occasion. Orient, though, have not fared so well. They've reached the final four times, but won just once.

PREDICTION: Right then, who is going to win this one? Normally where Peterborough are concerned, there are goals involved. Hopefully today will be no different. Let's go for a 2-1 victory to the hosts, with Assombalonga scoring both.

Here come the two sets of players and they are greeted by a loud roar from the London Road faithful. Not long now until we get underway.

KICKOFF! Hosting Peterborough, attacking from right to left, get this semi-final off and running. Big 90 minutes ahead for both sides.

Early pressure from Orient as home defender Alcock heads behind for a corner. Peterborough fail to clear it and when the ball breaks for Lisbie, his shot flashes across the face of goal. It wouldn't have counted anyway because the linesman had lifted his flag for offside. Even so, it's a positive start from the away team.

Meanwhile, up the other end, only some great defending by Omozusi cuts out a cross from Ajose that looked to be floating on to the head of Payne. Both sides have set their stools out early - they are going to attack.

After that bright start from both teams, the pace of the game has settled down somewhat. It's Peterborough that are seeing more of the possession, but they are yet to test Jones in the Orient net.

GOAL! PETERBOROUGH 1-0 ORIENT (ASSOMBALONGA)

Posh go ahead, but they are fortunate to do so. First of all Jones will feel that he should have pushed Swanson's shot from the edge of the area wider of danger. The rebound is pounced on by an advancing Little, who crosses from the right. Assombalonga is stood in an offside position, but there is no flag as the free-scoring striker glances a header in from close range. London Road erupts, but the visitors, understandably, are not happy.

BOOKING! Moments ago they scored the first goal and now Peterborough have the first booking of the game. It's centre-back Alcock that sees yellow for a trip on Orient midfielder Odubajo.

The pace that Peterborough have up front really is frightening. Ajose is no slouch, while Assombalonga is looking to get behind the two Orient centre-backs at every opportunity. You can see why the hosts have scored so many goals this season.

Orient are struggling to create chances right now. They've been neat and tidy in possession, but we've seen very little of Mooney and Lisbie so far. A direct approach moments ago was thwarted by Posh goalkeeper Olejnik, who raced off his line to punch clear ahead of Lisbie.

CHANCE! A smartly taken free kick from Peterborough release Ajose. The striker skips away from his marker, before shooting from the edge of the area. There is plenty of power on his effort, but it's lacking in direction as the ball flies harmlessly wide.

It must be said that the windy conditions are not being too kind to either side here at this moment in time. Every goal kick is hard to judge, while corners and free kicks are difficult to take.

Things have turned a little scrappy. The decent passing football that we were seeing from both teams earlier on has stopped, with a lot of long balls now being played. As a result, the crowd has quietened down dramatically.

CHANCE! The first real effort from Orient and it is struck by a defender. A corner drops to Vincelot some 25 yards from goal and he tries his luck. The connection is perfect, but the ball eventually flies a couple of yards wide of the target.

There will be one additional minute of stoppage time at the end of this first half.

SAVE! What a time that would have been for Orient to score. A low pass from Lisbie frees Cox, who is left with just Olejnik to beat inside the area. The Orient midfielder hesitates for a second too long, though, which allows the Peterborough keeper to come off his line and block his shot. Brave work from the stopper.

HALF TIME: PETERBOROUGH 1-0 ORIENT

Orient spurn their best chance of the half and seconds later the whistle goes for the break. So far so good as far as Peterborough are concerned.

The scoreline may well be in their favour, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Ferguson is asking for more from his Peterborough players right now. The truth is, for all their possession, they haven't created too much. He will want to see the midfield release Assombalonga and Ajose on a more frequent basis because their pace looks to have the Orient defence worried.

The same can largely be said for Orient. They have struggled to create many openings and we've barely seen anything of Lisbie and Mooney up front. The main thing for them, though, is that they do not concede another goal because they will still fancy their chances at Brisbane Road, even with a 1-0 deficit.

RESTART! Visiting Orient, who trail 1-0, get the action at London Road back underway. Is there a case for suggesting that both of these sides would take this scoreline going into the second leg? We shall see.

Positive start to the half by Orient as Cox sends a dangerous into the Peterborough area. Lisbie looks interested, but his route to goal is blocked as Olejnik leaps highest to claim the ball. Then, Odubajo's attempted cross for Mooney is crucially cut out by Little.

SAVE! For once, the usually so assured Assombalonga makes an error inside the area. He poorly controls a lofted pass to him inside the area and although he swivels to get his shot away, it's an easy save for Jones to make. It's the sort of chance that Peterborough's leading goalscorer has been converting for fun this season.

PETERBOROUGH SUB: First change of the match from Peterborough and surprisingly it is the dangerous Ajose that leaves the action - he may have been carrying a knock of course. He's been replaced by former Newport County striker Conor Washington.

CHANCE! Posh skipper Rowe goes ever so close to doubling his side's advantage. Most people from the edge of the area would have blasted their shot, but Rowe is more cute about it. He curls his effort across the face of the goal, which beats a diving Jones. Thankfully for him and Orient, though, the ball skids an inch wide of the upright.

One thing that Orient haven't utilised well enough today is Clarke's long throws. He's hoisted three or four of them into the Peterborough area, but all of them have been easily dealt with by the hosts.

After what was a bright start to this second half, like the first, it's all gone a little flat. Peterborough perhaps look the more likely to score the game's second goal, but they are hardly rampant.

ORIENT SUB: Moments after he fires hopelessly wide from inside the area, Lisbie is taken off. The veteran frontman has been replaced by Shaun Batt.

SUBSTITUTIONS: More changes, for both teams. Peterborough swap Swanson for Isgrove, while the quiet Lundstram has come off for Orient, with Llyod James taking his place.

GOAL! PETERBOROUGH 1-1 ORIENT (ODUBAJO)

What a good goal that is from an Orient point of view. Batt heads the ball down into the path of Mooney, who checks inside before curling a low shot towards goal. Olejnik does really well to palm the shot clear, but the alert Odubajo anticipates the rebound and the winger is able to roll the ball into an unguarded net from six yards out. We are level at London Road.

SAVE! All of a sudden, Orient are the dominant force and would be leading but for a smart stop by Olejnik. Cox's low shot towards the near post was creeping in, but the Peterborough goalkeeper shows great reflexes to get down to turn the ball around the post.

PETERBOROUGH SUB: Final switch of the match for the hosts and it's McCann that enters the action. He has taken the place of Payne.

SAVE! Olejnik is fast becoming Peterborough's man of the match! Again he denies Cox, this time from the edge of the area. The rebound is fired in by Mooney, which Olejnik is up in time to block. The flag was up for offside against the Orient striker, but neither Olejnik nor Mooney knew that at the time.

CHANCE! If anyone is going to win this, it looks like it's going to be Orient. Mooney makes a nuisance of himself inside the area, which results in the ball dropping for Odubajo. He takes one touch, before firing a curling shot that skids just wide of the Peterborough goal.

There will be five minutes of stoppage time here. Will someone score a winning goal during that time?

FULL TIME: PETERBOROUGH 1-1 ORIENT

There you have it. There was very little to separate the two teams, who will meet again at Brisbane Road on Tuesday night to determine which of them will reach the final of the League One playoffs.

That is all we have time for from London Road. Thanks for joining us this afternoon and until next time, goodbye.

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