Orient’s vice-captain disappointed with loss at weekend and gives his views on the red card to Alan Dunne

East London Advertiser: Leyton Orient defender Alan Dunne is shown a red card for fouling Crawley Town's Rhys Murphy inside the penalty area (pic: Simon O'Connor).Leyton Orient defender Alan Dunne is shown a red card for fouling Crawley Town's Rhys Murphy inside the penalty area (pic: Simon O'Connor). (Image: 07958 573219 simon.oconnor@virgin.net)

Sean Clohessy admitted Leyton Orient’s defeat to Crawley Town on Saturday is a massive setback for their plans to win promotion from League Two.

The 28-year-old captained the O’s at Broadfield Stadium in the absence of captain Mathieu Baudry, who missed out with concussion.

But he couldn’t prevent them losing 3-2 after conceding three times towards the end of the first half and having Alan Dunne dismissed.

Clohessy conceded Ian Hendon’s men need to get back to winning matches more regularly quickly.

“This defeat is a massive setback because we should have been coming to Crawley and getting a victory,” said the former Southend United defender.

“We want to get promoted so we want to be coming to places like this and getting a win. We have gone to teams already this season and we should have won, but we have been coming away with draws.

“Them sides have been in the play-off positions at least so you can take heart from that, but you see where Crawley are in the table. Fair play to them because they have gone and won the game, but we should have been coming here and getting a victory.

“The camp isn’t happy at the moment, but it is a long season so you are going to go through times when you are on fire and other occasions when you are not getting the results. You are going to win games and lose games.

“I think in the last seven games we have only won one or two matches, but we are still in the top seven so as long as we start picking up some victories again we will be okay.”

Clohessy discussed the red card shown to team mate Dunne as well, which caused some heated exchanges after full time between members of both sides.

The Orient vice-captain had sympathy for the former Millwall man, who insisted he didn’t touch Crawley forward Rhys Murphy inside the penalty area.

Referee Kevin Wright disagreed, however, and sent Dunne off, Clohessy said: “It is just unlucky that he has been caught out with a penalty and a sending off.

“Alan said he never touched the forward, but the boy is clever enough to go across him and buy the foul and it is what it is.

“I just saw the player go over, ‘Dunney’ said he didn’t touch him and is adamant he never did and there is no reason not to believe him.

“But the striker is clever enough and that is what they do. If that was our striker we would want the penalty and a sending off as well so hopefully we get a couple of them later in the season.”