Assistant boss Donatelli reflects on Peterborough loss

East London Advertiser: Bradley Pritchard came back into the Orient starting line-up at Peterborough (pic: Simon O'Connor)Bradley Pritchard came back into the Orient starting line-up at Peterborough (pic: Simon O'Connor) (Image: Simon O'Connor Photography)

Assistant manager Marcello Donatelli felt Leyton Orient did not create enough chances during their 1-0 loss at League One rivals Peterborough.

Jon Taylor’s fortuitious first-half strike proved decisive for the home side, who ended the game with 10 men after Marcus Maddison’s red card for a challenge on Luke O’Neill.

And defeat left O’s one point adrift of safety as fellow strugglers Coventry, Crawley and Colchester also lost.

Donatelli fulfilled media duties in the absence of manager Fabio Liverani who, it was explained, had to go home due to a family problem, and said: “The game was disturbed by the wind. Peterborough’s goal was a bit of a lucky episode caused by the wind.

“We have played a good game, but didn’t create enough chances to score.”

Gary Sawyer, Scott Cuthbert and Bradley Pritchard came into the O’s starting line-up for Andrea Dossena, Shane Lowry and the injured Ryan Hedges, with Donatelli adding: “Pritchard, after the last two games, he has played always. He had an injury. Cox was sick on Thursday.

“Pritchard is a good player, he works every day with the team and it’s not a surprise for us.”

But the visitors fell behind on 26 minutes when Taylor’s cross was caught on the wind and looped past Alex Cisak.

Chris Dagnall had a shot blocked by Ricardo Santos at the other end, before former O’s youngster Aaron McLean sent a header from Taylor’s cross just over before half time.

Ben Alnwick denied David Mooney and Jobi McAnuff in the second half as O’s looked to level, but Cisak had to be alert to deny Luke James.

Dean Cox fired agonisingly wide before Romain Vincelot went down injured and was eventually stretchered off.

Donatelli added: “It’s a bad injury. after the scan we will know the (full) problem.”

And although Maddison was dismissed with normal time almost up, Orient could not make the extra man count during 10 minutes of stoppage time.

Donatelli said: “Peterborough finished the game with 10 players, but had good defensive shape. We had two or three chances.”