Garner shines as City left with that sinking feeling

25 April 2007

GOLDEN GOAL: Gary Alexander scored the vital opener at Bradford.

Bradford City 0

Leyton Orient 2

IN typical Orient fashion, the men from the Matchroom put their fans through the wringer before hitting back to record the victory that all but guarantees League One survival, writes TREVOR DAVIES.

Defeat at Bradford would have left Orient in the bottom four, instead the victory means they go into the final two games of the season with a five-point buffer between themselves and the drop zone.

Yet, for the first 45 minutes, it was Orient who found themselves on the back foot and they were indebted to the brilliance of goalkeeper Glyn Garner, who kept his side in the encounter with a series of stunning saves.

Garner, who it seems has attracted the interest of several Championship clubs, could not have chosen a better time to display the form that earned him a call up into the Welsh squad last season.

At the break most Orient fans would have surely settled for a draw, to keep a two-point gap between themselves and Bradford.

But the O's turned the game on its head in the second half and goals from Gary Alexander and Adam Tann in a deadly two-minute spell put the visitors in the driving seat.

In many ways, it was like a re-run of several home games this season when O's have had teams on the rack but failed to finish them off and then have been punished, although this time the boot was firmly on the other foot.

Orient boss Martin Ling gambled on the fitness of ace defender Matt Lockwood and restored him to the starting line-up, although he was still well short of being 100 per cent fit.

Alton Thelwell returned to the centre of the defence to partner John Mackie, with Brian Saah dropping to the bench and Adam Tann slotted in at right back.

With Donny Barnard a surprise inclusion in midfield, it looked as if the Orient boss had gone into the vital fixture looking to shore things up and settle for a point.

But after a steady start, Bradford put their foot on the gas and their pace caused Orient real problems. Although O's contributed to their own prolems as first, Shane Tudor's expansive back-flick lost possession and Spencer Weir-Daley's searing burst took him clear of the O's defence.

The youngster set up Billy Paynter, but Garner blocked his effort from 14 yards. Then a Luke Guttridge error allowed Weir-Daley to charge through again. This time he shot himself, but Garner pulled off another smart stop.

A Lockwood slip then let in Omar Daley, but again Garner came to the rescue as O's were living dangerously.

But Ling's side slowly settled and Lockwood almost scored from inside his own half when his long ball forward bounced over goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, but he managed to get his fingertips to the ball and stop it crossing the line.

Lockwood also brought a smart save from the keeper with an effort from 30 yards. But it was still Bradford who created, and wasted, chances as Garner denied Daley for a second-time and then Weir-Daley lobbed wastefully wide with just the Orient keeper to beat.

After the break Ling was forced into a change when Ryan Jarvis suffered a cut during an aerial challenge. Jabo Ibehre was thrown into the action on 48 minutes and it was the substitute who played a pivital role in the moment that changed the match.

Bradford had lost their way and just past the hour, Ibehre showed great control and vision in the City penalty area and set up Alexander, who fired home from a tight angle.

Bradford were shell-shocked and two minutes later Lockwood's free-kick was headed down bravely by Mackie at the far post and Tann swept the ball home from close range. The confidence visibly drained from a City side without a home win in 2007. Justin Miller came on for Lockwood, who had done his job and apart from an effort from Eddie Johnson, O's never looked in trouble as they comfortably negotiated the final 25 minutes, plus a further six of stoppage time.

"We are staying up, we are staying up," sang the O's fans and they are right. But at 3.45pm, they would not have been so confident!