Leyton Orient 2 Peterborough 3 FOR THE second successive game, Orient gift-wrapped their opponents a two-goal start and despite a storming second half display, they ended up with nothing to show for their efforts, writes TREVOR DAVIES. Peterbrough raced

Leyton Orient 2 Peterborough 3

FOR THE second successive game, Orient gift-wrapped their opponents a two-goal start and despite a storming second half display, they ended up with nothing to show for their efforts, writes TREVOR DAVIES.

Peterbrough raced into a two-goal lead inside 12 minutes on Tuesday night and although Scott McGleish cut the deficit from the penalty spot, Posh netted again in stoppage time at the end of the first half.

O's launched a brave second-half comeback, but only had another McGleish goal to show for their efforts.

Orient boss Geraint Williams was disappointed with his side's defensive display in the opening 45 minutes and admitted: "I was annoyed at half time for the first time since I have been here.

"I was disappointed with the first 45 minutes. We spoke about the need to be positive at the start, but we didn't do it.

"Then we got back into the game and we allowed them to score a third from a set-piece, when everyone knew their jobs and knew who they should have been marking.

"But the performance in the second half was fantastic. Peterborough are the best footballing side in the division, yet we had a right go at them.

"I think we had the two best chances of the game in the first and the last minute, but we conceded three very poor goals and you can't do that.

"You can't give any team a two-goal start, as we found out on Saturday against Hereford. But to give a side like Peterborough the same is suicide.

"We gave them too much respect in the first part of the game.

"We should have won at Hereford and we should have taken a point against Peterborough.

"They are one of the best sides in the division and we matched them in the second half. Now we need to show that kind of belief from the start, beginning on Saturday against Brighton."

In awkward, wet and windy conditions, O's just about had the elements in their favour in the first half and almost took the lead on three minutes.

Simon Church went close when he rolled an effort across the goal and as Peterbrough struggled to clear, Jason Demetriou played the ball into Jimmy Smith, whose shot was blocked.

But Peterborough took the lead with a simple goal on six minutes. O's failed to clear a corner and and when Paul Coutts played the ball back in from the right, Chris Whelpdale was allowed too much time and space as he headed home from close range.

The goal sparked Peterborough, who played with pace and power, with the midfielders breaking forward at every opportunity.

With O's struggling to get a foothold in the game, George Boyd almost added a second, only to be denied by Jamie Jones, who blocked the shot with his legs.

However, the O's keeper was at fault with Peterborough's second goal on 12 minutes. Former O's striker Aaron McLean dragged the home defence out of position with a run across the area and set up Sergio Torres, whose right-foot shot lacked power, but rolled under the Orient keeper.

Peterborough were dominant, but O's almost got back in the contest when Andrew Cave-Brown whipped in a cross from the right that took a deflection off Chris Westwood and visiting keeper Joe Lewis managed to tip the ball over before crashing into the post.

O's were thrown a lifeline on 41 minutes when a Church cross from the right hit Charlie Lee on the hand and referee Simon Hooper pointed to the spot on the advice of a linesman.

McGleish stepped up and powered the ball straight down the middle and into the net.

Orient, who had been second to the ball for most of the half and had been closed down quickly, still struggled to get going and after Jones saved at the feet of McLean, they conceded a third in stoppage time.

Again the marking was non-existent as Russell Martin headed home Dean Keates' corner.

Williams' words at half time seemed to do the trick as after the break Orient looked a different side, with Dean Morgan replacing Smith.

On 56 minutes, a Demetriou free kick fell to Church and he rolled the ball into the path of McGleish, who smashed the ball home for his second of the game.

Wayne Gray replaced Church and O's continued to press without creating too many opportunities.

But in stoppage time they should have levelled. Sean Thornton's wicked free-kick cannoned off keeper Lewis and fell to Gray, but his follow-up attempt from close range was blocked by the keeper.