Orient defender finds Wembley loss tough to take

Orient defender Elliot Omozusi admitted his side’s penalty shoot-out defeat against Rotherham in the League One play-off final at Wembley was ‘heartbreaking’.

First-half goals from Moses Odubajo and Dean Cox put Russell Slade’s men on top, but Alex Revell replied with a brace after the restart to force extra time.

And Mathieu Baudry and Chris Dagnall missed from the spot in front of their own fans as O’s lost 4-3 in the shoot-out.

Omozusi said: “It’s heartbreaking to be honest. All the hard work we’ve put in just to fall a centimetre short is not easy to take.

“But that’s football and life and we’ve got to go and take some time off and get our minds right and come back next season ready to fight again.”

Odubajo broke the deadlock in front of a 43,000-plus crowd with a stunning left-footed strike, before teeing up Cox for a tap-in.

But Omozusi said there was no complacency in their dressing room during the interval.

He added: “Job’s not done. Not by a long shot.

“We knew that they was never going to stop, they were never going to give up, we know what type of team they are.

“There was a 20-minute spell in the second half where we wasn’t focused and let it slip really, that’s when they got their goals.

“Other than that I thought we were good, we stuck to the game-plan. It just wasn’t meant to be.”

Revell stabbed home Rotherham’s first after O’s keeper Jamie Jones failed to deal with a free-kick.

And the former O’s striker levelled it up with a stunning 35-yard half volley, that dipped over the head of Jones.

Omozusi added: “It happened so quick, it’s just one of those things really, no-one is to blame.

“The second one was a great goal by Alex Revell, it’s just of those days.”

Orient looked the more likely of the two sides to grab a winner during the extra period, with substitutes Shaun Batt and Dagnall making a good impression in attack.

But they could not break through and paid the price during the lottery from 12 yards.

Omozusi said: “The boys gave everything, literally, and we left it all out there.

Nothing but praise for the boys, it’s just heartbreaking. They’ve been unbelievable all season. It had to be someone, but there’s no blame game.”