So how was your Tuesday evening?

Sometimes, just once in a while, this magical game of football throws up one of those matches that reminds us all why we fell in love with the game in the first place. To come out of a ground absolutely buzzing, physically shaking from the pure emotion and excitement of what we have just witnessed, is a feeling that “normal people” (whoever they may be?) will simply never understand.

 It’s that feeling that keeps us going through all the trials and tribulations, all the long journeys, the dull goalless draws in horrendous weather conditions, the ridiculous kick-off times rearranged for the benefit of TV; because deep down we know that maybe, just maybe, we might have a night like we all did on Tuesday evening.

It’s probably fair to say that when the draw was made Derby County at home felt a little bit underwhelming for the majority of O’s fans. Nothing against the Rams per se but we had only faced them in the league last season, being thumped both times, and I think really we all wanted a trip to one of the Premier League’s biggest teams. Even more so because this season in their infinite “wisdom”(sic) the powers that be having decided to get rid of replays at the behest of those with the most cash (thanks very much Jurgen & co!).

When the game was called off at lunchtime on Saturday I was of course annoyed because despite the evening kick-off time I would be missing my regular Saturday football fix. However I didn’t think it would make very much difference to our prospects in the rescheduled match, if anything I thought it would make it harder for us.

While many Orient fans got super-excited when the draw for the fourth round was made on Sunday evening, giving the winner the enticing prospect of a home tie against reigning Premier League champions and the club that most traditionalist fans despise, Manchester City. Personally I managed to keep it under control realising that getting past Derby was in no way a given. Especially with the number of key players who would likely be missing from our squad through injury, and also the fact that Derby and their players would no doubt also be relishing the prospect of taking on Pep Guardiola and the array of world class talent at his disposal.   

So it was that the missus and I set off for the match as much out of a sense of duty and with an attitude of just-in-case rather than any real sense of expectation. I suspect we weren’t alone in our thinking amongst the Orient faithful, but this is exactly how football fate works: just when you are least expecting it, it finds a way to conjure up something spectacular, something that logic dictates shouldn’t really happen.

Orient’s fitness issues were so deep that there was a very youthful look to our subs bench, including the gaffer’s son, 16-year old Alfie, and a couple of other youth team players. Despite that, we started the match like an absolute train: getting at Derby, putting them under pressure and even carving out a couple of early chances. While the whole frontline supported by the orchestral conductor-like Jamie Donley were lively and full of running and invention, Sonny Perkins in particular looked like a player transformed.

Gone was the timid, rabbit caught in the headlights like young player trying to make his way in senior football, replaced by one with quick feet and incisiveness who gave Derby’s experienced left back Craig Forsyth an absolutely torrid time in the opening quarter of an hour or so. When we took the lead after 20 minutes through Charlie Kelman’s emphatic finish it was exactly what our lightning start deserved.

I must admit I feared the worst when Derby equalised trough Dajaune Brown just four minutes later after a swift counter attack, but we should know by now that this Orient side is made of tougher stuff. From that point forward we went toe to toe with our higher ranked opponents. Darren Pratley and Sean Clare battled, harried, tackled and made life more than difficult for Derby’s midfield.

Omar Beckles and Jack Simpson were immense at the heart of our defence and while Jack Currie had it all to do against the absolute tank of a man (with thanks to Christian Wheeler for the perfect description!) that is the aforementioned Brown, he battled manfully throughout and hung in there. While Ethan Galbraith seemed to be everywhere, picking up the ball and driving us up the pitch.

The longer the match wore on, the more extra time and potentially a penalty shootout started to seem inevitable. Jordan Brown replaced Darren Pratley and Tom James came on for DJ, but both just slotted in seamlessly and we continued to battle away and match Derby. A battle-scarred Galbraith had to be replaced by Jayden Sweeney but still we stuck to the challenge in front of us.

In the first period of extra time further reinforcements were needed with Brandon Cooper replacing a battered Jack Simpson and Zech Obiero taking over from Perkins. Even when Sean Clare was dismissed for an inevitable seeming second yellow card in the second period we still had belief, Derby weren’t really troubling us that much, and then we went to penalties.

Both sides converted their first five: Collins, Goudmijn, Harness, Jackson and Barkhuizen for Derby; Donley, James, Brown, Cooper and Kelman for the O’s. Then if things hadn’t been enthralling enough, enter one Josh Keeley. Not content with having got us through with his penalty saves at Boreham Wood and rescuing us with an equalizer deep into added time at home to Oldham, our young loanee shot stopper decided he fancied making some more FA Cup headlines.

Callum Elder’s penalty was at a nice enough height but still needed saving and of course Keeley was the very man to do just that, meaning that if Zech Obiero could convert his spot kick, we had pulled off the upset. Our young academy graduate did exactly that sparking utter pandemonium all around Brisbane Road. It was a truly magical moment and one that I don’t mind admitting brought a tear to my eye, such was the emotion of it all. I also have to highlight the atmosphere generated all around the ground which was absolutely amazing all the way through the match. If only it could be like that for every match!

Speaking after the match an understandably elated Richie Wellens suggested that we were no longer “typical Leyton Orient” of before and instead “we’re a growing club”. We certainly are Richie and your role in that is indisputable! 

Will we be able to beat City? Probably not, but I for one couldn’t give a flying one, to be there and to witness that on Tuesday night was one of the greatest moments of my football-supporting life. To just have the chance to take on one of the elite is enough, but as we said at the beginning of the piece, in football you never know…

Before then though of course is the trip to Peterborough in the league and then a home game in the Vertu Trophy against our old friends Stevenage. I have no doubt the players will be feeling it going into those matches but a result like the one we have just enjoyed can work wonders for confidence and belief.

Up The Mighty Mighty O’s!