Former Bristol Rovers skipper reflects on defending set-pieces, luck and running out of time at the weekend

East London Advertiser: Paul McCallum celebrates after finding the net for Leyton Orient against Blackpool (pic: Simon O'Connor).Paul McCallum celebrates after finding the net for Leyton Orient against Blackpool (pic: Simon O'Connor). (Image: Simon O'Connor Photography)

Tom Parkes was disappointed Leyton Orient left it too late to salvage a positive result during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Blackpool at Brisbane Road.

Jamille Matt and Tom Aldred netted for the visitors before Paul McCallum pulled one back for O’s in the 89th minute.

Five minutes of stoppage time were added on and the east Londoners pushed for an equaliser, but it was too little, too late.

“If you go two goals behind you start chasing the game and you want to try and get back into it as quick as possible,” said Parkes.

“A few times we went a bit longer than we normally do, although it worked for us on a couple of occasions because we got some good opportunities from it.

“Then ‘Macca’ came on and scored a great header and once that happened we got a bit more confidence in ourselves to go and get the next, but there wasn’t enough time.”

Parkes reflected on Orient’s lack of luck at the weekend, although was quick to insist it is no excuse for the defeat.

Straight after Matt had opened the scoring in the 30th minute, Gavin Massey struck the crossbar from 25-yards.

The O’s were also punished after the break when Aldred bundled the ball home from a Jack Payne corner.

“Massey has a great strike and you think it is flying into the top corner and it hits the crossbar,” said Parkes.

“Blackpool hit a long ball and their player gets on the end of it, shoots and it goes in and you feel sometimes as a player that the luck isn’t going your way.

“But it is not the case and we’ve just got to concentrate and make sure when we do get an opportunity we take it.

“If we do face a set piece against us we’ve just got to make sure we defend it and carry on building on that.

“We need to bring the confidence back for everybody, not just in the team, but the fans, the manager and all the players.”

One way of doing that would be for Orient to stop conceding from set-pieces – a regular occurrence this season.

Since Cavasin’s arrival, the O’s have been marking zonally, although it has failed to improve their fortunes and continues to be a topic of debate.

Parkes added: “It was another set-piece and I hate to say this, I’ve looked back at it and from my point of view he has not scored himself, it has come off my hand.

“Again it is a corner and a set-piece so it’s disappointing and we work on it all the time in training. We know what we’ve got to do, but it is a silly one to concede.”