Bees bow out of the FA Cup

The League One side, who sit 75 places above Harborough in the football pyramid, showed their quality with two first-half goals. The Bees continued to create chances after the break and pulled one back through Paul Malone, but the O’s struck twice late on to seal their place in the second round.

Mitch Austin made one change to the side that drew at Hebburn Town, with Eliot Putman replacing Dempsey Arlott-John in the starting XI. Arlott-John dropped to the bench, where he was joined by Archie O’Donnell and new signing Kyle Hudlin.

The Bees had the first opening inside three minutes, winning a corner that ended up in the arms of Orient goalkeeper Nathan Baxter.

It was the hosts who took the lead in the ninth minute. Armando Dobra got on the end of a cross from the right and headed home. A minute later, Orient’s top scorer Jaze Kabia broke through and threatened to make it two, but Elliot Taylor tipped his effort onto the post.

Harborough had an opportunity to put the hosts under pressure in the 22nd minute when George Carline launched a long throw into the area. Orient headed clear and the move came to an end when the Bees were caught offside.

Four minutes later, the O’s doubled their lead. A free-kick was laid off to Aaron Connolly, who struck the ball into the bottom-right corner.

The Bees went close in the 41st minute after winning two corners in quick succession. Britt Assombalonga sent the ball across the face of goal, but nobody in a Harborough shirt could get the touch it needed. Josh Walsh then broke into the area in the only minute of first-half stoppage time, only for a defender to clear his cross.

Half-time | Leyton Orient 2–0 Harborough Town

Harborough made the brighter start to the second half. Within two minutes of the restart, Putman let fly from outside the area and Baxter tipped his effort over the bar.

Orient added their third in the 51st minute when Somto Boniface advanced down the left and played the ball across goal for captain Idris El Mizouni to tap in. The hosts threatened again on the counter after a Harborough corner, with Kabia forcing another save from Taylor.

The Bees kept pushing. In the 66th minute, substitute Arlott-John sent a curling effort into Baxter’s gloves. A minute later, he whipped in a cross for Riley O’Sullivan, whose header was tipped wide by the Orient goalkeeper.

Harborough got their reward from the resulting corner. Putman delivered and substitute Paul Malone found the back of the net to make it 3–1.

Alex Gilbert fired over for the hosts in the 73rd minute before Arlott-John went for goal again five minutes later, sending a shot on the turn over the bar.

Orient restored their three-goal cushion in the 82nd minute. Substitute Tony Springett picked up the ball on the right wing and curled his effort into the bottom-left corner. Dobra then threatened to add another, drawing a good save from Taylor low to his right.

The Bees were forced to finish with ten men after Malone was injured in a challenge around the 90-minute mark and had to leave the field on a stretcher.

Harborough’s defenders put their bodies on the line to block a succession of Orient efforts deep into stoppage time. The hosts added a fifth with the final kick of the match, however, as El Mizouni scored his second in the 98th minute following a short corner.

Reflecting on the game, Manager Mitch Austin commented that "we tried to edge into the game, but every time we did, they showed their class and moved away".
Also commenting on the amazing away support, Austin said "l wish we could have given them a better day results-wise, but their support was incredible."

The result brought a memorable FA Cup run to a close, with 1,113 travelling Bees fans backing Harborough from the first whistle to the last in East London. The Bees will now regroup and turn their attention to the FA Trophy next weekend against Merthyr Town.