LEYTON ORIENT 2, ALDERSHOT TN 2

ALDERSHOT saw a two-goal lead slip away and also slipped off the top of the National League as Leyton Orient deservedly earned a draw at the EBB Stadium on Saturday.

The Shots were superb for much of the first half and were threatening to take the London side apart after scoring two excellent goals in the first 20 minutes.

They were very similar strikes, too – both left-foot shots struck with unerring precision from sharpish angles.

With nine minutes gone, full-back Cheye Alexander, collecting Manny Oyeleke’s pass on the right, darted into space before driving an outswinger beyond the diving Charlie Grainger whose outstretched hand only deflected the ball into the far corner.

On 20 minutes, Matt McClure wrestled the ball off Jamie Sendles-White and, from almost the same position, unleashed a rifle shot that again had too much power for Grainger.

There could have been more as Aldershot’s injury-ravaged side delighted their majority share of the 3,000-plus crowd with some expansive one-touch attacking football.

In between the goals, Adam McDonnell’s corner picked out McClure whose downward header bounced just wide of the post.

James Rowe shot into the side-netting from a free-kick and then popped up in the six-yard box to meet one of a series of measured crosses from Jim Kellermann, but this time Grainger saved at full stretch.

Orient survived a frantic goalmouth scramble and finally forced some action from Jake Cole who was alert to keep out Craig Clay’s firm header.

Encouraged by that near miss, the visitors equalised in the 39th minute. James Dayton flighted a long free-kick from the right and this time Clay made no mistake, stealing in at the far post to score with a free header.

The goal visibly lifted the visitors and they almost equalised in added time. Another Dayton free-kick came through a crowded area to bounce off the upright and Macauley Bonne’s follow-up header was miraculously parried by Cole at point-blank range. “A world-class save,” said manager Gary Waddock afterwards.

The game really opened up in the second half as Leyton Orient, struggling to find their feet in the National League after last season’s relegation, took a bolder approach on the immaculate playing surface.

The defences coped well, but Aldershot had the better chances. McDonnell twice went close with rapier-like shots from distance and the key moment of the game followed on 77 minutes when the Shots had a glorious opportunity for a third goal.

Alexander’s hanging cross was perfect for the tall Kellermann as he rose in front of goal, only to direct his unchallenged header two feet over the crossbar.

Aldershot replaced the outstanding Oyeleke with Frenchman Fabien Robert, who had scored the winner at Gateshead, but Orient sensed they had been let off the hook and gathered themselves for a strong finish.

Route-one worked on 82 minutes when Grainger’s long clearance down the middle was headed on and substitute Romauld Boco raced clear to round Cole and cut the ball back into an empty net.

And Orient very nearly snatched victory during five minutes of injury time. Callum Reynolds made a timely block to deny Bonne and Alexander headed off the line from the resulting corner.

“What a good game from the neutral’s point of view,” said manager Waddock. “The performance first half was outstanding and with the chances we created, we should have gone in three or four up.

“But we gave away a cheap goal in my opinion at the far post from a set-piece and that gave them momentum going into the second half.

“We’re disappointed to draw two-two, but we’re playing a team like Orient. It shows the standard and level of performance we expect from our group of players.”

Aldershot: Cole, Alexander, McDonnell, Reynolds, Arthur, Fowler, Oyeleke (Robert 79), Gallagher, Rowe, Kellermann, McClure (Rendell 70). Subs (not used): Okojie, Lyons-Foster, Smith. Booked: Alexander.

Leyton Orient: Grainger, Caprice, Coulson (Happe 84), Sendles-White, Widdowson, Lawless, Clay, Dayton (Boco 72), Brophy, McAnuff, Bonne. Subs?(not used): Sargeant, Ochieng, Dalby. Booked: McAnuff, Bonne.

Referee: David Rock.

Attendance: 3,060 (566 away).

• Aldershot travel to Macclesfield this Saturday and are back at the EBB Stadium on Tuesday for the visit of Dagenham & Redbridge.