Late penalty drama earns keeper Brown a reprieve

GOALKEEPER Jason Brown went from zero to hero with a penalty save in injury time as Orient held Peterborough in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

Having conceded a spot-kick in the opening stages, he gifted Posh their second goal when slipping at a crucial moment, but the Blackburn loanee redeemed himself in the 91st minute as he denied former Orient frontman Aaron Mclean his hat-trick and rescued a point for the O’s.

Posh were gifted the opening goal when Terrell Forbes poor back pass set up a race between Boyd and Brown.

The keeper got there first and looked to have won the ball cleanly, but as Boyd went to ground, referee Brendan Malone pointed to the spot to the disgust of the Orient travelling contingent.

Up stepped Mclean who made no mistake from 12 yards, sending the keeper the wrong way.

Posh had conceded 20 league goals at home before this game and it was easy to see why, as time and again Orient went close.

First Revell squared to Dean Cox, whose first time drive from 10 yards went inches wide, then Alex Revell twice fired over.

Posh had the chance to double their lead 10 minutes before the break as Adam Clayton’s powerful effort was spilled by Brown, but when Boyd pulled the ball back to Clayton the debutant midfielder fired harmlessly over.

With a minute of normal time remaining in the first half, Orient levelled.

Matthew Spring picked up a loose ball in the centre circle and fed Revell who found Cox in space on the left flank.

The diminutive winger beat full-back Mark Little and sent in an inswinging cross, which top scorer Revell headed into the bottom corner to claim his 11th goal of the season.

Half time saw the introduction of Paul-Jose M’Poku for the ineffective Andrew Whing and the winger made an immediate impact.

Just two minutes into the second period, M’poku went on a mazy run down the right, squared to Revell, who slid the ball past Posh keeper Joe Lewis, but Little was on hand to clear off the line.

With the game open and there to be won, Orient shot themselves in the foot on the hour mark.

Arron Davies’ deep cross looked to be sailing into the arms of Brown, but the Orient keeper slipped at the wrong moment, and Mclean couldn’t believe his luck as he was left with a simple tap-in.

Just as it seemed Orient were heading for their first defeat in five, the visitors levelled with four minutes remaining.

The excellent Cox was the provider once again as his inch-perfect pass put Jimmy Smith (above) through one-on-one, with Lewis, and the midfielder nestled the ball perfectly in the bottom corner.

There was still time for the late penalty drama though.

In the 91st minute with Lee Tomlin going away from goal, defender Aaron Brown needlessly barged him over giving Mclean the chance to claim his hat-trick against his former employers.

But, Jason Brown saved with his feet to extend the O’s unbeaten record and keep them two points clear of the drop zone.