Leyton Orient 1 - 1 Doncaster Rovers
Coca-Cola League One

ORIENT let yet another lead slip through their hands as Doncaster Rovers came from behind to claim a 1-1 draw at Brisbane Road.

The O's enjoyed the better of the first half and forged ahead when Gary Alexander bundled home in the 36th minute, but Doncaster came back strongly after the break and went on to create a catalogue of chances.

Adam Lockwood levelled not long after half time and the visitors should really have gone on to claim all three points.

Bruce Dyer missed a couple of glorious opportunities and although Orient hung on for a point, they needed all three.

Orient created an excellent chance to open the scoring with just eight minutes on the clock.  Alexander withstood pressure from Lockwood to control a long ball forward and hook the ball through to Shane Tudor.  The O's winger crossed low and the ball fell for Luke Guttridge, but he scuffed the shot and sent it wide.

Tudor was also the creator of the hosts' next two opportunities, crossing from the right towards Ryan Jarvis, whose 15th minute shot was blocked, and then, seconds later, hanging up a ball for John Mackie at the far post to draw Neil Sullivan's first save of the afternoon with his header.

Orient had started at a good tempo, but the visitors caused a scare on 19 when Brian Stock sent a long-range daisy-cutter against the post after the O's struggled to clear their lines.

However, Orient still looked the more likely to break the deadlock and Wayne Corden was next to go close, brushing the sidenetting with a 25-yard free-kick in the 27th minute.

The O's needed something to show for their first half efforts and the goal they deserved arrived in the 36th minute.

Corden's corner looked set to find Brian Saah's run, and although the centre back couldn't force the ball goalwards, it dropped kindly to Alexander to poke home from five yards.

Orient deserved their lead, atthough Doncaster came so close to an equaliser in the first minute of the second half when Paul Green ran foward from midfield unchallenged and sent a low shot against the post from outside the area.

Lewis Guy then forced an excellent reaction save from Garner after a Rovers corner bounced dangerously across the O's box, but the reprieve was only temporary as the visitors levelled from the subsequent flag kick.

Orient could only half clear, and as the ball was played back in, Adam Lockwood was perfectly positioned to rifle home on the volley.

The O's were rattled and it nearly got worse a minute later, but John Mackie did well to block another Green effort. after the Rovers midfielder broke well into the O's box.

All the good work of the first period was in danger of being undone and Bruce Dyer should have made it 2-1 on 61 minutes, but he shot wide from eight yards after swivelling away from John Mackie.

Dyer wasted another gilt-edged chance to give Rovers the lead on 68 when Guy beat the offisde trap on the right hand side and advanced into the box before squaring for the striker, who blazed over the top.

The whole emphasis of the game had changed, and it wasn't until Alton Thelwell nodded Jason Demetriou's corner over the top in the 81st minute that Orient threatened a second half goal.

Martin Ling gave Efe Echanomi his first taste of first team action since breaking his leg 18 months ago, but he couldn't force a way through and Orient held out for the draw.

1	LEYTON ORIENT	COCA-COLA LEAGUE 1		DONCASTER ROVERS	1
1	Glyn GARNER	Brisbane Road 14/4/07		Neil SULLIVAN	1
6	John MACKIE (C)	Ref: Lee Probert (Bristol)		James O'CONNOR	2
7	Shane TUDOR	Att: 4,697 (399 away)		Gareth ROBERTS	3
9	Gary ALEXANDER	Goals (time):		Sean THORNTON	8
10	Ryan JARVIS	Alexander (36)		Bruce DYER	10
16	Luke GUTTRIDGE	A Lockwood (54)		Adam LOCKWOOD (C)	11
21	Brian SAAH			Brian STOCK	19
23	Aiden PALMER			Paul GREEN	20
25	Wayne CORDEN			James COPPINGER	26
26	Adam CHAMBERS			Harry WORLEY	34
27	Alton THELWELL			Danny CADAMARTERI	36
	SUBSTITUTES	Replaced (time)		SUBSTITUTES
2	Donny BARNARD		8 (33)	Lewis GUY	7
12	Glenn MORRIS (GK)		10 (73)	Jonathan FORTE	17
14	Adam TANN	6 (64)		Sam HIRD	21
22	Efe ECHANOMI	10 (73)	3 (86)	Craig NELTHORPE	27
24	Jason DEMETRIOU	25 (64)		Barry RICHARDSON (GK)	35