Brisbane Road boss reflects on 1-1 draw at Luton Town and discusses their performance

East London Advertiser: Leyton Orient forward Jay Simpson scores against Luton Town, his 11th goal of the League Two season (pic: Simon O'Connor).Leyton Orient forward Jay Simpson scores against Luton Town, his 11th goal of the League Two season (pic: Simon O'Connor). (Image: Simon O'Connor Photography)

Leyton Orient head coach Ian Hendon hopes fans can see his side are creating a number of chances and understand they are desperate to improve defensively.

It seemed like a case of déjà vu last night (Tuesday) at Luton Town as the east Londoners dominated for long spells at Kenilworth Road.

They could have taken the lead through John Marquis in the first half and also delivered a number of dangerous balls into the box before the Hatters took the lead, slightly against the run of play.

Jack Marriott fired past Alex Cisak from close range after Connor Essam was caught on his heels following a Dan Potts cross.

Orient responded after the break through Jay Simpson’s 11th of the season and went close through Jack Payne and Sammy Moore, but it finished 1-1.

Hendon said: “It was two teams trying to win a game of football in the second half and you do leave yourselves open.

“The plan is to come out and try to be as solid as we can, look to get in front and then do the same – be solid and let the opposition come out and then we’ll pick them off because we have the players to do so.

“Anyone that is watching the games I would like to think they see us creating chances. We do that and it has been the same since day one.

“It is the other end at the minute. We have got to sort that out and we are trying, it isn’t through a lack of effort and we are working on it.”

Although the O’s created plenty of chances at Luton, the hosts always appeared a threat and Scott Cuthbert had a header cleared off the line in the first half.

Orient goalkeeper Cisak made a smart save from Cameron McGeehan after the break, but Hendon was happy that it was the Hatters Mark Tyler that was busiest of the two men between the sticks at Kenilworth Road.

He added: “Alex had a save second half, low down with his left hand which he got too. Luton’s goalkeeper has made a few saves and they’ve had a few blocked so that’s what you have got your goalkeeper for.

“When we have to rely on Alex he is there to make saves. I wouldn’t say he is the most worked goalkeeper in the division, but when he does have to do his job he has to do it properly and he did at Luton.”

Orient’s point against the Hatters resulted in them dropping to sixth in the table, but they are only four points off Oxford in third place and still firmly in the mix.