ORIENT striker Scott McGleish made a pre-match pledge not to celebrate if he scored against old club Colchester United, but it turned out to be a hot-tempered game at Brisbane Road. So would he have changed his mind, had he notched an equaliser? He spoke to leytonorient.com after the game.
Scott, did we deserve anything from that game?
"I don't know. But I thought we played really well to be fair, we tried to get it down and pass it. We knew they'd be a threat from set plays, with the two long throws from both full-backs they're very strong in the air, but we dealt with it all game other than once which they scored from.
"So it's obviously a bitter pill to swallow but they've got the result out of it. We tried to impose ourselves on the game and we were strong going forward, it was just the final pass or connection for goal that let us down really."
It was a disastrous start with the injury to Jamie Jones - any idea how he is?
"No, they're just asking where he got caught at the moment. I would think he's gone to hospital to make sure that his cheek, eye socket or wherever he's been hit is ok, a bit like Purch the other week, so fingers crossed he'll be alright and it won't be too long."
How difficult is it to shake off an early incident like that?
"It was probably easier because it was so early to be honest. If it had been about 20 minutes in, you're completely warm and your adrenalin's pumping from the game, then you've calmed down for seven, eight minutes you can't get going again. But it was just a case of starting all over again, and the boys did well - Cat's come in and pulled off a wonder save in the second half to keep it 0-0."
It got quite heated out there at times - would you still not have celebrated if you'd got the equaliser?
"I would still have celebrated, I just wouldn't have gone over the top. The same as last week [at Wycombe], I've got nothing against Colchester fans, I left on good terms so why antagonise them?"
You got a yellow card in the first half - what's your interpretation of what happened there?
"I got booked for actually trying to take three players off of Scowie! Scowie's on the floor, he's got one pinning him down, the keeper leaning over the top trying to point the finger in his chest, another three around him…"
"Alright, I've run ten yards to get involved but I've not thrown a punch, I've not pushed anyone, I've just put my hands there and said 'leave it, leave it.' But because I've run ten yards the ref's seen it as probably an intimidating exchange and he's booked me. You can't appeal yellow cards, even if he wanted to look at it he can't change it, so that's one I've just got to take."
Was there a shout for that actually being a penalty?
"That'd be a bit harsh because the defender got there first and Scowie's tried to slide in behind him so, no, I don't think so. But a bit earlier on there was definitely a handball, I don't know if it's inside or just outside the box but it was pretty close either way. But you've got to just get on with it."
So how do we go about turning narrow defeats like this into wins?
"I think we've got to believe in ourselves a bit more. We can play football, we've seen that, but except for me and Scowie we're a very young squad, especially the boys on the bench. They're very good, we see it every day in training, but when they go out there they've got to replicate what they do in training. They've got to believe in themselves."
Scott McGleish was talking to Si Hawkins
