Clarke Carlisle is back! Carlisle is in the starting lineup for tonight's Worthington Cup game at Orient. Here's the full starting lineup for the SuperHoops: Fraser Digby; Terrell Forbes, Danny Shittu, Clarke Carlisle, Tommy Williams; Steve Palmer, Richard Langley, Matthew Rose, Karl Connolly; Andy Thomson, Richard Pacquette. On the bench: Kevin Gallen, Doudou, Danny Murphy, Dennis Oli, and Wesley Daly. No keeper on the bench? I guess we haven't got one healthy. Hang in there, Fraser.
13 minutes in. One shot on goal from Thomson. None yet for Orient. A couple of corners for the R's, but some good possession from Orient too.
26th minute now. Still nil-nil. Shots now 4-2 in favor of the R's. Two on goal from Thomson, although neither was too dangerous. Shittu headed one over the goal on a corner a few minutes back (pretty close, according to the commentator). Pacquette seems to be hustling, pressuring them into just booting the ball forward on a few occasions. Forbes was nearly caught out on Orient's chance, but he claimed he was pushed down according to the commentator. It resulted in a shot over, in any case. Shittu was nearly booked for a hard foul as Orient was pressuring, but escaped with a talking to.
Orient scores -- they now lead 1-0. Digby stops the first shot, but the rebound goes to an Orient player whose shot bounces off the post, but THAT rebound comes back to the player's chest and then deflects in.
Pacquette goes strongly into the box, goes down, hoping for a penalty, Thomson takes in the ball, beats the keeper, but hits the post. Ack! Orient clears. Immediately thereafter, Rangers go to sleep, Orient goes down the other end and bangs one in. Leyton Orient 2-0. Very disappointing.
Doudou and Gallen in; Carlisle and Pacquette out to start the second half. Orient player (Hutchins?) booked in the first minute of the second half for kicking the ball away on a Rangers free kick. Another (Harris?) just booked for hacking down Doudou.
Roughly the 70th minute -- Langley challenged by two men in the box, taken down, penalty given. Andy Thomson lines up to take the PK... and... GOAL!!! Leyton Orient 2, QPR 1.
A couple of minutes later... Doudou to Gallen in the box; Gallen taken down with his back to goal inside the box. No penalty given. Commentator not a happy man. Guest analyst Chris Day thinks that maybe the referee was reluctant to give another PK so quickly. A minute or so later, the Orient counter results in a shot right at Digby. Digby parried the ball straight into the path of an oncoming forward who buries it. Orient 3, QPR 1
Gallen booked for dissent for complaining about a call where an Orient player banged another and the call went against the R's. A minute later, Gallen bangs a GOAL in. Turned his man and put it into the corner. Orient 3, QPR 2 -- 1 1/2 minutes of normal time remaining.
Oli is in the game. Didn't catch who he entered in place of. Langley gets taken out just outside the box and the Orient player gets booked. Down to the last chance. Everyone in the box. Oli with a header on goal, but the keeper makes the save. Ref blows the whistle. FINAL -- Orient 3, QPR 2 -- R's make another first-round exit from the Worthington Cup. Now back to your regularly scheduled promotion campaign.
thanks for the commentary, atouk. i was only able to catch periodic score updates. to northside, no, it was at brisbane road. i suppose i'd take promotion over a small cup run, "but the money would have been nice." (reply to journalist's question, ultimate soccer manager '98)