Fleetwood Town 1-1 Leyton Orient
A Stephen Dobbie goal seven minutes from time was enough to earn Fleetwood Town a well deserved point against Leyton Orient at Highbury.Darius Henderson gave Orient the lead in 34th minute heading in a curling Jobi McAnuff free-kick at the far post to end Chris Maxwell’s record of not having conceded a goal from open play this season.
Dobbie, making his first appearance since the opening day win over Crewe, came off the bench though to score past Legzdins and ensure Town’s unbeaten start to life in League One.
Despite falling behind it was Fleetwood who had the best of the early exchanges with both Stephen Crainey and David Ball having good chances to give the Cod Army the lead.
First, in the sixth minute, Crainey and Josh Morris exchanged passes on the edge of the Orient penalty box only to see Adam Legzdins in the Orient goal tip his effort onto the crossbar.
Then, six minutes later, came Town’s best chance.
Crainey released Evans down the left who squared the ball into Ball who could only fire at Legzdins before Jamie Proctor was unable to steer the rebound into the back of the net.
Steven Schumacher also tried to make a telling breakthrough for the hosts having a number of free-kicks, the closet of which came in the 23rd minute and whistled just past Legzdins righthand post from 25 yards.
As the first period went on the visitors began to provide more of a goal threat with Henderson causing a number of problems for Nathan Pond and the returning Stephen Jordan.
Henderson gave a warning of what was to follow in heading straight at Maxwell from seven yards after being found unmarked by Dean Cox in the 33rd minute.
Just a minute later and Henderson made amends heading in Jobi McAnuff’s free-kick through the legs of Maxwell.
Town nearly went into the break level as, in added time, Conor McLaughlin’s pass was deflected into the path of Jamie Proctor who let the ball run for Josh Morris. The Blackburn loanee let go from 18 yards but was denied by a sliding Mathieu Baudry.
Into the second half and Town pushed for an equaliser.
Schumacher was first to try his luck from the edge of the box but saw his attempt blocked before Jamie Proctor thought he had drawn the Cod Army level ten minutes into the second period.
Evans played passes to Ball who after cutting in saw his drilled effort spilled by Legzdins leaving Proctor with a simple tap-in, only for the linesman to flag him offside.
It was not all Fleetwood though with Russell Slade’s men still providing a threat and almost doubled their lead in the 65th minute. Cox beat McLaughlin and found David Mooney in the centre who headed onto the crossbar from eight yards.
As the clock ticked on Graham Alexander shuffled his pack replacing Ball and Antoni Sarcevic with summer signing Stephen Dobbie and Matty Blair respectively coming off the bench.
Dobbie was the man to make the difference pulling Fleetwood level in the 83rd minute. Josh Morris did well to create the opening before finding Dobbie who calmly put the ball past Legzdins from nine yards.
There was still time though for each side to have one last attack.
First Mooney went close for the visitors curling a shot wide just inside the area after being played in by a Cox backheel.
Then, in the last minute substitute Blair broke from the Cod Army before feeding Evans in on goal but Legzdins saved meaning the Cod Army had to settle for a share of the points.
The result sees Fleetwood slip a place in the table to second but next up is a break from league action as Morecambe visit Highbury on Tuesday evening in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.