Kitch impressed as O’s continue to find a way to win

Leyton Orient v Sutton United – Sky Bet League Two – Brisbane Road – Reaction

Leyton Orient 2-0 Sutton United

There’s a lot to admire about this side of Leyton Orient. Seven points clear at the top of Sky Bet League Two. Efficient and effective, they always seem to find a way to win.

Former frontman Peter Kitchen was among the sold-out crowd on Brisbane Road. The fan favorite echoed those sentiments after Sutton United were brushed aside.

“I would describe it as a professional, manual effort on a very cold day, getting the job done,” Kitchen said Yellow sports.

“It was a very important win because with Stevenage and Northampton not in action we were seven and 12 points respectively ahead of our nearest rivals at the top of the table.

“The game followed the script very closely, even down to my correct goal-line prediction, with the visitors’ sole intention being to avoid defeat and although they showed very little attacking intent, they disrupted O’s very organized and determined defense rarely, if ever, added a thirteenth clean sheet from our twenty-one league games.

Kitchen continued: “In truth, I thought the O’s got off to a sluggish start and looked a meter off pace, probably as a result of our enforced two-week layoff. But to be fair to Sutton, they’ve tried to stifle and disrupt the league leaders’ rhythm, which is proving itself. Gradually, the O’s began to assert themselves and only the crossbar held the score, even when Theo Archibald shook the wooden structure with a thunderous free-kick from twenty meters out after half an hour.

“As a spectacle, it was largely forgotten for much of the game, with little creativity on either side and both teams playing mostly in midfield.

“The O’s didn’t do enough in the last third to generate much excitement from the fans, while Sutton seemed content to throw long hopeful balls forward and hope for a lucky break or capitalize on a defensive error by the O’s beat. Ironically, it was a mistake in the Sutton defense in the sixty-first minute that gifted Paul Smyth the ball just outside the box and the little man didn’t disappoint, picking up the loose ball his superb right-hand shot gave The yellow ones Keeper, Rose, no way. It was his ninth goal of the season.

“The O’s continued to push for a second goal and their pressure showed in the seventy-ninth minute when Sutton defender Smith converted a cross into his own goal to end the game.”

Kitchen concluded: “The nature of the win should give the O’s fans a lot of confidence and belief that they’re not going to screw it up this season.

“It was also important for us to regain our form and momentum ahead of a crucial point of the season with three great games over Christmas and New Year, including second-placed Stevenage next in E10 and third-placed Northampton Town away at 11-2. The O’s could couldn’t be in a better place and there’s a growing sense that they’re going to bring a lot of Christmas cheer to the fans.”