County boss dismissed after penalty award

It was a shame that Orient’s stunning victory against Notts County was overshadowed for all the wrong reasons, as County boss Paul Ince was banished to the stands.

Visiting manager Ince must have been shell-shocked as his side were outclassed in the opening 45 minutes and his mood was not helped nine minutes after the break when the hugely-impressive Tommy Carroll sent Alex Revell clear.

The striker rounded former O’s keeper Stuart Nelson, only to see his shot blocked by Ricky Ravenhill’s arm as he slid in to try and make a goal-line clearance.

The assistant referee flagged for the spot kick. It was harsh on the defender, but Ince was furious.

As his players remonstrated with the officials, the County manager launched a cup of tea towards the home bench, which hit and soaked goalkeeping coach Kevin Dearden.

Referee Grant Hegley sent Ince to the stand and after a five-minute break in play Revell’s spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Nelson.

It could have been a turning point for County, who threatened to get back into a game that should have been beyond them.

Orient had taken the lead after eight minutes when Stephen Dawson found Carroll and he chipped the ball over the visiting rearguard into the path of Dean Cox, who timed his run to perfection and then fired home from 12 yards.

O’s looked untouchable as Carroll, Cox and Charlie Daniels carved County open down the left.

Cox fired wide and was then denied by Nelson, before Daniels went on a great run.

It looked as if O’s might regret not making more of their chances as Ivan Sproule tested Jamie Jones on the stroke of half time, before he saved well from Craig Westcarr.

After the break, Revell just failed to touch home a Harry Kane cross and after the penalty miss the O’s top scorer saw a header knocked off the line.

County hit back, but 10 minutes from time Andrew Whing headed in a Cox free-kick.

The game was safe, but afterwards the spotlight fell on Ince’s antics rather than O’s success.

Goal hero Whing said: “I was running over and saw Kevin Dearden covered in water.

“I laughed my head off to be fair. There were a few verbals, but it’s all part of the game.”

O’s boss Russell Slade said: “To be honest, I didn’t know what had gone on, then I saw some water come towards our dug out and it seemed to land on Kevin Dearden, who didn’t flinch.

“Things flared up a bit, but these things can happen. But I was delighted with the performance, it was the perfect response.

“We dominated for long periods of the game and the only travesty of the first half was that we were only one-goal up.

“We created a number of really good chances and played some attractive one-touch football at times.

“I was pleased for the players, because they were brave enough to go out there and play that way on a pitch that bobbled a bit.

“I was delighted for Andrew Whing too, his goals don’t come around that often and now he’s scored two in three weeks.

“It was a great finish and he is absoultely buzzing.”