JOHNSTONE’S PAINT TROPHY

Leyton Orient 0 Brentford 0

(Brentford won 5-4 on penalties)

ORIENT crashed out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on Tuesday night after a penalty shoot-out, but they only had themselves to blame.

Brentford had the better of the first half, but O’s dominated the second period and wasted several glorious chances and were made to pay when Matt Spring saw his penalty saved after Stephen Dawson, Elliot Omozusi, Ben Chorley and Charlie Daniels had netted from the spot.

After the game Orient boss Russell Slade said: “The best team lost by a country mile.

“My young goalkeeper has not had a single thing to do in the second half. We created some super openings and were worth a couple of goals in the second half.”

In what proved to be the proverbial game of two halves, it was Brentford who were quick out of the blocks, but Orient’s on-loan midfielder Paul-Jose M’Poku caught the eye with an impressive performance down the left and may have played himself into contention for a start at Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend.

M’Poko and Ryan Jarvis went close early on, but after that the Bees had several opportunities to break the deadlock.

Nicky Forster got the better of Ben Chorley and shot just wide before former Orient loanee Nicky Adams forced an excellent save from Lee Butcher, who caught the eye on his first full start in the O’s goal.

Butcher was impressive throughout and just before the break he made an excellent diving save to keep out Forster’s header.

But the complexion of the game changed after the break and it was Orient who started to put their foot on the gas.

Spring was presented with a great chance after M’Poku went on a great run down the left and cut the ball back for the O’s midfielder, but his effort was blocked.

With Orient in control Jimmy Smith went on a wriggling run, only to be denied by visiting keeper Richard Lee, who stopped the ball with his foot.

M’Poku fired a free-kick wide and then Jonathan Tehoue, on for Jarvis, sent an effort just past the post.

Spring flashed a header wide after a cross from Dean Cox, who came on for the final six minutes.

But the best chance of the game came in stoppage time when James Walker and Charlie Daniels did well down the left and presented Tehoue with a golden chance, but the striker shot wide from close range.

That was the singal for penalties and the first nine were all converted, but Spring’s effoer was kept out by Lee, who dived to his right - and O’s were on their way out of the competition.

Orient: Butcher 7, Omozusi 6, Chorley 7, Brown 6, Forbes 7, Smith 6 (Cox 84), Spring 6, Dawson 6, M’Poku 8 (Daniels 87), Jarvis 6 (Tehoue), Walker 6. Subs: Lovelock, Chambers.

Attendance: 1,152 (inc 204 Brentford fans).