O's frustrated as Millers grind out valuable draw

LEYTON ORIENT took several strides down the road to Wembley on Sunday with a committed performance in their first play-off semi-final encounter with Rotherham United (Chris Bevan writes).

This was not a game for football connoisseurs but the O's showed they could battle with the best of them and a packed house at Brisbane Road witnessed a tight, tense and ultimately goalless battle.

Rotherham, with giant striker Leo Fortune-West up front, were only ever going to play one way, and their sole tactic was to try and batter Orient into submission with a succession of hopeful long balls.

It takes more than that to get the better of Dean Smith, and even without Stuart Hicks at the back, the O's skipper kept it tight along with Simon Clark and Roger Joseph.

Orient made a bright start, forcing three corners early on and keeping the visitors pinned back in their own half but breaking down the Rotherham defence proved a difficult task.

The O's got in good positions but the accurate final ball across goal that Amara Simba and Steve Watts have been thriving off in recent weeks was sadly lacking on this occasion.

Simba has struck six goals in his last five games but the closest he came to adding to his tally here was a spectacular overhead kick that sailed high over the bar.

With Rotherham content to fire balls aimlessly forward, meaningful chances were at a premium and the first shot on target didn't arrive until a minute before the break.

In a game where a single mistake can be costly, Rotherham's Paul Hurst almost committed a fatal error when he misjudged a long ball from Matt Lockwood.

Tony Richards pounced and let fly from the edge of the area only to see his powerful effort comfortably gathered by Mike Pollitt.

Orient still went in at half-time on top and continued to enjoy a superior share of possession after the interval.

Their only real scare came in the 53rd minute when Billy Beall did just enough to put off Danny Hudson as they jumped together at Scott Barrett's far post.

Ten minutes later came the O's best opportunity of the game. A deep cross from substitute Mark Stimson was headed back across the face of goal by Simba into the path of the unmarked Martin Ling, but he couldn't get any power behind his header and it looped harmlessly into the arms of Pollitt.

Matt Lockwood tested the Rotherham keeper again with a stinging shot from long range on 70 minutes but he was always comfortable.

Despite Orient's biggest crowd of the season willing them on, the visitors fully deserved their goalless draw.

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