Leyton Orient manager Fabio Liverani reflects on the 1-0 home defeat to Fleetwood Town.

Leyton Orient manager Fabio Liverani insists the decision to not award them a late penalty cost the O’s dearly in their 1-0 home defeat to Fleetwood Town today.

Gareth Evans’ strike 22 seconds into the second half was the difference between the two sides on the day, but Orient had late appeals for a penalty turned away when Bradley Pritchard was felled by Stephen Crainey.

Referee Fred Graham consulted with his near-side assistant on the decision, but decided to award a free-kick instead.

That was much to his displeasure and so much so that he was sent to the stands for the final few minutes.

“I don’t have anything to say to the players because the referee has got it wrong,” said Liverani.

“In the second half we did well in my opinion and unfortunately football is decided by wrong decisions from the referee which cost us a point or possibly three.

“It was two or three metres inside. It is impossible for the referee to not see.”

Liverani did admit the goal the O’s conceded was their fault though, having switched off early in the second period to allow Evans to slot home.

And the Italian was also disappointed by his side’s first half performance following the back-to-back victories Orient had gained going into the game.

“It was our mistake for the goal,” he added. “We didn’t play very well in the first half but in the second half besides the first 30 seconds in my opinion we played some good football and created chances.

“I was disappointed with the first half. I wasn’t expecting a performance like that because in the last two games we have been really focussed for 90 minutes. I stressed about being focussed from the beginning.”

Boos rung around the ground when Dean Cox was substituted after 62 minutes, in place of Kevin Lisbie.

But Liverani revealed the midfielder had picked up a thigh injury in training which limited his involvement.

“Cox had a small problem with his thigh in training yesterday,” he said.

“Cox wanted to play today, it was an important game for us and we let him play as much as he could and in the second half he was not 100 per cent so we decided to bring other players on who did well.”