Brady 'surprised' by Leyton Orient's approach against Cobblers and 'disappointed' that O's 'lost their discipline' in feisty finish

Cobblers manager Jon Brady said he was ‘disappointed’ by the way in which Leyton Orient ‘lost their discipline’ in the closing moments of Monday’s League Two encounter at Sixfields.

The table-topping visitors were beaten for just the third time this season and didn’t take it well, particularly in the case of Omar Beckles. The experienced defender left an arm in on Aaron McGowan in stoppage-time and then stamped on Town skipper Jon Guthrie, which earned him a straight red card after referee Chris Pollard had spoken to both linesmen.

Marc Leonard also took a couple of late blows as Orient, who were trailing to Ben Fox's opener early in the second-half, became increasingly desperate during 12 frantic minutes of stoppage-time.

Brady said: "They lost their discipline in my opinion because Beckles elbows Aaron McGowan and then stamps on Jon Guthrie and admits it to his manager on the way back to the tunnel.

"He asked him and I heard Beckles say 'yes, I stamped on him' and he went 'fair enough' and he's walked off. Then Marc Leonard gets kicked and booted by Tom James. It was disappointing that we had to receive that but we held our discipline and that was really key.”

Brady also revealed his ‘surprise’ at Orient's approach to the game. The league leaders have impressed everyone en route to top spot at the halfway stage of the season but they lacked ambition at Sixfields and created precious little, managing just a single shot on target across 110 minutes of football.

"That game was about fine margins,” Brady added. “I was surprised that they didn't come to play their fluent football and their style but we had to lock onto their shape and it became a bit of a battle.

"We played some excellent football against Swindon but Orient made it a battle and we had to join in and in the end I felt we just edged it. It was a war of attrition but the game led itself to that.

"I'm pleased overall but credit to them, they are one hell of a side and deservedly top of the league. Sometimes you need to win the battle and earn the right. We wanted to win that but I was surprised that they had come and maybe played a bit safer than they usually do."