ORIENT'S hopes of a Wembley appearance in the Johnstone s Paint Trophy ended when they were beaten in a penalty shoot-out on Tuesday night, writes Trevor Davies. For the entire second half, O s battered League Two side Hereford United, who were clinging

ORIENT'S hopes of a Wembley appearance in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy ended when they were beaten in a penalty shoot-out on Tuesday night, writes Trevor Davies.

For the entire second half, O's battered League Two side Hereford United, who were clinging on to a 25th-minute lead given to them by former O's loanee Leon Constantine.

That was the visitors' only shot on target, but for all Orient's second half pressure it looked as if their efforts would go unrewarded.

But, deep into stoppage time, Jason Demetriou fired in an equaliser to set up a penalty shoot-out.

The O's fans who had been streaming out of the ground, suddenly came running back in.

But Hereford, who had won their previous two ties on spot-kicks, triumphed again.

O's took an early advantage as Demetriou converted the first kick, sending Adam Bartlett the wrong way.

Jamie Jones should have kept out Keith Lowe's effort, but it crept under his body.

O's went ahead again when Ben Chorley rolled the ball into the left corner, as Barlett dived to his right.

When Jones saved superby from Jamie Tolley, O's were in the box seat.

But then Sean Thornton, Charlie Daniels and Luke Summerfield all saw their efforts superbly saved by Bartlett.

Kenny Lunt and Gavin McCallum netted to put Hereford through.

There were mixed emotions for Orient manager Geraint Williams afterwards: "We created more chances in the second half than we have done in the last four or five games, but we're out of the competition and that's disappointing," he said.

"They probably had one shot on target all game and we've had something like 19 or 20 opportunities.

"Their goalkeeper's penalty saves were excellent, but we should have put our chances away earlier and the fact we only scored one goal is disappointing.

"When you create as many good chances as we did, you hope to score more than one."

Orient started well and James Scowcroft went close with an early header, but Hereford fought their way back into the match and when McCallum sprung the offside trap and ghosted past Chorley to set up Constantine on 25 minutes, Orient lost their way for the rest of the half.

"I was delighted with the reaction we gave after half time," said Williams.

"There was a small crowd, which is understandable and when we went a goal behind the players got edgy because you could hear every call from the stand and it seemed to get to them a little bit.

"I said to the players at half time they had 45 minutes to prove they could play and to lift their game and they certainly did that."

Bartlett made a wonder save from Ryan Jarvis at the start of the second half, and then kept O's at bay almost single-handedly.

He did superbly to thwart Demetriou, Thonrton, Jarvis, Scowcroft and Adrian Patulea, on a couple of occasions, before Demetriou's last-gasp leveller set up the penalty drama.

Orient: Jones 6, Cave-Brown 6, Chorley 6, Ashworth 6 (Pires 84), Daniels 6, Baker 5 (Patulea 59), Summerfield 7, N Demetriou 7, Townsend 5 (Thornton 46), Jarvis 6, Scowcroft 6. Subs: Butcher, Purches.

Orient bookings: None.

Attendance: 1,282 (inc 158 Hereford United fans).