After their midweek heroics against Everton, Brentford fell back to earth with a bump following this 1-0 defeat to Leyton Orient at the Matchroom Stadium on Friday night.
The Bees turned in a worryingly lacklustre display against their London rivals, who had started the evening bottom of the division, in a performance that was a long way from the one produced in the Carling Cup on Tuesday.
A frustrated Andy Scott was expressed his frustration at his side’s inability to add to its meagre goal tally of four in eight league games so far: “We were by far the better side, everyone could see that, but we’ve lost the game.
“I’m sick of coming down here and saying we are the better side but have lost. We can’t keep having lots of the ball but not testing the keeper enough and that’s what happened today."
After his side’s impressive showing against Everton, Scott elected to make just one change, recalling Ben Hamer in place of Richard Lee.
Orient had the first chance of the game when the ball fell to Scott McGleish inside the box and Hamer turned his shot behind for a corner.
Shortly after the Os again broke forward and the ball fell to Adam Chambers inside the box and his shot bounced off Alex Revell for a goal-kick.
The Os took the break after nearly half an hour when they broke down the left and the Bees defence failed to deal with a low cross into the six yard box, which was hammered home by McGleish.
Orient almost doubled their lead when Charlie Daniels shot from outside the box was deflected behind for a corner only inches from Hamer’s right hand post.
Brentford almost drew level after Orient gave away a free kick with a soft foul on Nicky Adams wide on the right and Craig Woodman’s free kick was headed off the back post by Michael Spillane.
A minute later the Bees broke down the left and after a clearance fell at the feet of Kevin O’Connor he fired wide of the right hand post.
The Bees looked more lively as the half drew to a close when first Myles Weston cut in from the left and fired in an early shot from just inside the box that Jamie Jones held comfortably, followed by Adams turning to fire a snap shot over the bar.
As Brentford looked to get on level terms in the second half, a sweeping move saw Toumani Diagouraga find Gary Alexander in midfield and his early ball into the box was just missed by Charlie MacDonald as it sailed through to Jones.
Despite Brentford enjoying the majority of early second half possession, they were unable to create many decent chances, summed up by Alexander’s break down the left and his cross falling behind MacDonald inside the box.
Weston created a rare moment of space down the left and crossed into the six yard box, from where Alexander headed wide.
The Bees best chance of the half came with five minutes left when Woodman crossed from the left, substitute Carl Cort headed it back into the path of fellow substitute Kirk Hudson, whose blazed a over the bar.
For Orient Elliot Omozusi did well down the right to find Jimmy Smith, whose shot hit the post as the Os held on comfortably to take all three points.
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