On Tuesday 27th March 2024 I stepped back in time 5 years to The Braemer Road Stand of Griffin Park, just 15.1 miles away from the original.
Despite having seen Brentford handily humiliated in this area the day before (https://the-football-tourist.com/2024/02/27/smashed-to-pieces/) I went back to the east end for a second evening in a row, but this time I took the precaution of dropping down 2 leagues to take in a promotion 6-pointer in League One.
The setting for this mighty battle was Brisbane Road, now known as the Gaughan Group stadium for sponsorship reasons but which I will continue to call by its original name, a ground that has been on my football bucket list for years.
Stepping inside the ground was like stepping back into a memory, a beautiful memory laced with gold that left me floating on air. As the teams were announced and I watched the teams begin their walk down the tunnel I was praying for a home win to keep me floating.
To any Brentford fans missing the Old Ground I cannot recommend a trip to Brisbane Road highly enough, from the exterior to the food, from the view to the loos it will take you back to your favourite games at Griffin Park and the joy of celebrating that victory in the pub of your choice. (mine was The New Inn)
The game that drew me to this glorious ground was a must win for Leyton Orient as they played host to Blackpool with both teams sitting on the brink of the playoff places.
Orient were 2 points behind their visitors as the Seasiders got us underway, knowing that any win would see them leapfrog their opponents and close the gap to the promised land.
The first half was equal parts combative and skillful, with the visitors making much of the early running. On the front foot they went after their hosts with both CJ Hamilton and Callum Connolly taking it on themselves to drive the hosts back.
Early on the hosts seemed especially petrified of Hamilton and doubled up on him whenever he had possession. Perhaps this fear was warranted as it was through his excellent work that the first true chance was crafted, sliding a tantalising cross through the host’s 6 yard area that Jake Beesley was mere inches from tapping home.
His sliding effort was followed up less than a minute later with a powerful drive from 16 yards out by Jordan Gabriel that cleared the bar by a good few feet.
The Tangerines were the only team causing their opposition problems early on though and if they had taken their early chances the outcome of the match could have been so different, but they didn’t and The O’s began to grow into the game.
It took them 23 minutes for the hosts to create a clear opening to test Daniel Grimshaw between the Blackpool sticks and when they did it was a test that was far too easy to pass with Omar Beckles trying to cut the ball inside to Ruel Sotiriou and sliding it behind him instead, straight into the stride of the recovering defender.
This was enough to fire up Tom James at left back though as he picked up the ball in midfield and drove toward the visitors box before laying it off to a teammate to mess up the shot. Finally seeing their team take the game by the scruff of the neck was a huge morale boost for the home support, who made their presence known for the first time in the 25 minutes from kick-off.
James’ solo effort from 25yards a minute later was hooked so far wide that he may have regretted not leaving the shooting duties to a teammate once more, but he was single-handedly forcing his team into the reckoning.
Neither team was able to get the breakthrough before half-time and neither manager was happy enough with what they’d seen from their side to leave things be during the break either.
Both managers dipped into their bench, but it’s fair to say that Richie Wellen’s idea to switch George Moncur with Rob Hunt worked out far better for the hosts than Neil Critchley deciding to bring on Andy Lyons for Jordan Gabriel did for the visitors.
Less than 15 minutes into the second half Lyons would be heading back down the tunnel on a stretcher, having gone down with no-one near him clutching his leg. It is never nice to see anyone leave the pitch this way and when a player goes down with no-one near him it is rarely good news.
In the days since the game Critchley has confirmed that Lyons sustained a knee injury that “doesn’t look good”,
The worst part about this setback for Blackpool was it capped off a period of Orient domination that also saw the hosts take the lead.
The Seasiders had come out the tunnel swinging and were in the hosts area within a minute of the O’s kick-off, but that was the highpoint of their half as minutes later they were hit with the sucker punch.
Sotiriou burst out down the right wing and fed the ball across the box to Ollie O’Neill in the left channel. He announced himself to the home support with a delicious finish smashed across the keeper and into the bottom right corner of the net.
It was a brilliant sweeping move from the East Londoners to spark joy in the home stands, but with that joy came a distinct wariness. Orient had only won once in the last 3 games they took the lead and the first of those they lost in the 88th minute, so the home fans were unwilling to celebrate the 3 points before the final whistle.
The players did their best to calm the fans nerves though by bossing the rest of the half, barely giving the Tangerines a kick. Sol Brynn could’ve taken a nice half hour nap after the hour mark, his team were so in control he had vanishingly little to do between the sticks.
It was only when the ref blew the final whistle and the win was secured that the home stands allowed themselves to explode in ecstasy.
After a shaky opening 20, where they were lucky not to drop behind their visitors, the hosts took the match by the scruff of the neck and never let it go. It was a pleasure to witness.
From the second I saw the stadium to the moment it slipped from view on my way back to the tube this team had my soul.
In West London I have my beloved Bees (forever my number 1), south of the Thames it’s AFC Wimbledon that command my loyalty (a pleasure to know they won the ‘Dons Derby’ at the weekend, but now I have found a third London love. Orient are my East London Love story.
Sure the ground is a little run down in places, but the experience from start to finish was just magical. I will be back again some day for another match supporting East London’s Finest.
Tonight though I’m back off east to Yorkshire and Bradford City’s Valley Parade, my third new ground in a week.
The Football tourist 