Today's game will go down in history as legendary striker Andy Booth's final game in the famous blue and white stripes of Huddersfield Town and the 35-year old scored his landmark 150th goal for the Club to cap the occasion.
Almost 1,200 Town fans travelled to East London to show their appreciation for the Huddersfield-born forward and he rewarded them with a poacher's in the first half to send the Terriers into the interval with a deserved lead. However, hosts Orient fought back well in the second-half and were well worth the point they gained through Dean Morgan's second-half goal.
Town started the final game of the season in a 4-4-2 formation with youngster Simon Eastwood making his debut between the sticks in place of Alex Smithies. The usual back four of Robbie Williams, Andy Butler, skipper Nathan Clarke and loanee Martin Kelly played in front of him with Tom Clarke and Michael Collins forming the central midfield duo. Fit-again Anthony Pilkington occupied the right flank with Player of the Year Gary Roberts on the opposite side, leaving Danny Cadamarteri to partner Andy Booth in attack.
Over a thousand Town fans packed the away stand at Brisbane Road and were in tremendous voice as the game kicked off. Their side created the first chance of the game in just the 3rd minute when Roberts played a neat one-two with Booth on the edge of the area, but he placed his eventual shot wide of goal with his weaker right foot.
Easty got a comfortable first touch of the ball a minute later when he collected a tame volley from Wayne Gray and it looked like Town had been gifted an opener straight from his clearance when defender Spence headed the ball past his onrushing goalkeeper, only for the ball to drop inches wide of the post for a corner.
Town pushed their hosts back in the opening stages of the game and Booth, searching for his 150th goal for the Club, had the ball in the back of the net inthe 8th minute - only for the goal to be ruled out by referee Woolmer. The legendary striker challenged home goalkeeper Jones for a looping Williams cross and the ball dropped into the net off the shoulder of the striker, but the man in charge ruled that Boothy's challenge was unfair.
Anthony Pilkington was at the centre of everything good in the early stages and looked to have the beating of left-back Charlie Daniels, so it was no surprise to see the winger seeing a lot of the play down the right side.
Orient survived a penalty claim in the 17th minute after centre-back Mkandawire appeared to handle a knock-down by Andy Booth, but the legend was unperturbed and continued to threaten the home defence. Pilkington, who had switched to the left side, sat home player Demetriou on the seat of his pants down the wing in the 20th minute before crossing for Booth who nodded over the bar at the back post.
A minute later Pilkington opted to cut inside and shoot from the edge of the box, but his effort lacked power and rolled straight into the hands of the home goalkeeper.
GOAL - It was bound to happen - the legend that is Andy Booth grabbed his much-vaunted 150th goal for the Club in the 25th minute. A long clearance out of defence from Nathan Clarke found the head of the striker who flicked the ball on; defender Spence misplaced a dangerous header back towards his goalkeeper and Booth pounced, nicking the ball around the advancing goalkeeper before sliding the ball left-footed into the vacant net - despite a good last-ditch effort to clear from Mkandawire.
The striker celebrated the historic moment with his teammates and the superb travelling supporters. Credit must also go to the Orient fans, who knew the significance of the goal and clapped the Town striker for his achievement.
Orient responded well to going behind, forcing Eastwood to claim a couple of dangerous crosses into the box. However, the Town 'keeper couldn't do much as midfielder Smith crossed to the back post in the 29th minute for fellow wide man Demetriou to smash a powerful volley wide of the post.
The ever-dangerous Pilkington then had another chance to shoot in the 35th minute after good build-up play from Cadamarteri, Collins and Booth but the winger's powerful drive was deflected over the bar by an Orient defender. From the resulting set-piece, Butler headed the ball over the crossbar under heavy pressure.
SUB - Manager Lee Clark was forced into a substitution in the 36th minute with defender Kelly picking up a knock to his back. He was replaced by Andy Holdsworth at right-back.
One of Town's many first-half corners gave Pilkington yet another chance to shoot in the 42nd minute, but he hit his right foot volley wide of Jones' right-hand post.
The home side were being totally overrun by the Terriers and the best effort they could muster was a hopeful shot from winger Dean Morgan - which went out for a throw-in!
HALF-TIME: LEYTON ORIENT 0 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1
Jason Demetriou had the first shot on goal of the second-half on the stroke of the 47th minute, collecting a poor defensive header from Nathan Clarke before volleying towards goal on the edge of the box. However, his shot lacked power and was held well by Eastwood.
Striker McGleish then got goal side of Andy Butler to latch onto a hopeful ball over the top two minutes later, but the big Town defender showed decent pace to recover and get in a vital block as the forward looked to pull the trigger.
Orient had started the second-half in better fashion and former Sunderland midfielder Sean Thornton was the next to try his luck with a clever effort from the edge of the box in the 53rd minute. Fortunately for Town, he got too much elevation on his shot and the ball drifted over the crossbar.
Town soon fought back and Nathan Clarke headed a 57th minute corner from Williams wide of the far post.
Striker Wayne Gray then scuffed a shot wide of Eastwood's right-hand post in the 62nd minute after Charlie Daniels' free-kick was deflected into his path by Andy Butler.
Pilkington then seized upon a poor pass from Orient midfielder Smith two minutes later, cutting inside and seeing his shot blocked by a defender. The ball rolled to the edge of the penalty area where Tom Clarke tried to bend the ball around the goalkeeper, but his shot hit a defender and rolled behind for a corner with Jones stranded.
GOAL - Orient then equalised in the 65th minute through Dean Morgan, but the goal owed a lot to left-back Daniels. His superb pass down the line found on-loan Chelsea midfielder Jimmy Smith in space in Town's right-back area and his low ball across the box evaded last defender Butler, giving the winger the simple task of placing the ball past Simon Eastwood at close range.
The home side continued to press following the equaliser and Gray volleyed a Thornton corner over the crossbar in the 69th minute.
Thornton then slapped a free-kick straight into the chest of the Town debutant after Collins had fouled him in the 78th minute.
Robbie Williams replied by booming a speculative long-range volley over the bar a minute later.
SUB - Andy Booth, still limping after landing awkwardly moments earlier, then received the standing ovation he so richly deserved upon being substituted in the 80th minute. He was replaced by Lionel Ainsworth, with Anthony Pilkington moving into the vacant striker's role.
Orient left-back Daniels went close with a skimming long-range drive with eight minutes left after intercepting a cross-field pass from Gary Roberts.
SUB - Orient made a change in added time, with Scott McGleish being replaced by Ryan Jarvis in attack.
The last meaningful action of the game saw substitute Ainsworth race past two defenders before striking a good left-footed drive straight at the goalkeeper.
SUB - Paul Terry replaced Sean Thornton late into added time for the home side.
FULL-TIME: LEYTON ORIENT 1 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1
Town's Team:
Simon Eastwood, Michael Collins, Nathan Clarke (c), Danny Cadamarteri, Tom Clarke, Robbie Williams, Gary Roberts, Andy Butler, Anthony Pilkington, Andy Booth (Lionel Ainsworth 80), Martin Kelly (Andy Holdsworth 36)
Unused Substitutes: Ian Craney, Michael Flynn, Jim Goodwin
Attendance: 5,371
Visitors: 1,191
