Boss Slade is delighted as striker bags a last-gasp leveller

Kevin Lisbie fired home Orient’s last-gasp equaliser against Sheffield United on Saturday and is on the verge of being offered a new deal.

The Hackney-born striker, who recently celebrated his 33rd birthday, signed a four-month contract in September and O’s boss Russell Slade admitted: “He’s a fine finisher, he’s a good footballer and he has started to get fitter and stronger.

“The goals are coming as well and if he continues in this form we are going to sit down sooner rather than later.”

Lisbie has netted four times in six league starts and helped Orient stretch their unbeaten run at the weekend.

“We are five games unbeaten, it keeps the momentum going and to be out of the bottom four is a bonus,” added the Orient chief who believed his side matched Sheffield United blow for blow.

“I think the disappointing thing would have been if we hadn’t got something out of the game, because it would have meant the best side would have lost and for sure we deserved at least that out of the game if not more.”

Slade was furious with the performance of referee Oliver Langford, but refused to talk about the official’s performance, who dismissed Charlie Daniels - the first red card he has received in his career and it means he will start an immediate three-game ban.

“I can’t really comment on him, otherwise it would be a very long interview, however my analyst has already tagged 20 decisions in the second half that we were not too happy about. So I’m not going to say anything about him. But everybody in the ground knew why we were 1-0 down,” said the O’s boss.

However, Slade was delighted with the way 10-men Orient battled back to earn a point.

“This is a big football club who have come to The Matchroom. A club really that shouldn’t be in this league, but we stood up, we held firm, we have gone a goal down with 10 men and we still kept going.

“And we still had two chances before we got a deserved equalised,” he said.