Alex manager says he doubted whether Saturday's match would finish

Steve Davis has told the club’s official web-site that he approached the fourth official after 20minutes on Saturday to ask if the pitch at Leyton Orient was playable. A torrential downpour before and during the game made conditions difficult for both sides and Davis admits that if the rain had continued to fall as hard as it was during the half-time interval then the game could have been in question.

Davis and his players were disappointed that the game was allowed to be played, especially when it became clear that the ball wasn’t flowing through the surface water as well as it should be. Leyton Orient striker Kevin Lisbie needed treatment after sliding into the foot of the post and the wide areas were especially dangerous in that first half.

Steve told crewealex.net: “The conditions were difficult for both sides but Orient adapted to them better than us in that first half. We were not really ready for it and we didn’t start well. It is difficult when you go behind after seven minutes against a team that is top of the league and has that momentum behind them.

“The rain was relentless and I said to the fourth official after about 20 minutes that the pitch was deteriorating. The ball wasn’t flowing properly and there were times when the ball would stop or the other side would intercept and launch a counter attack because the ball would stick in a puddle.

“It wasn’t ideal and the fourth official told me that they would reassess it at half-time, I just said to him that we might not get to half-time. I was surprised that the referee never came over and spoke to us about it.

“It continued to rain in the second half but wasn’t as heavy. The pitch began to settle down and credit to both sides because they just got on with it and it became a decent game.

   “We just needed that goal to get back into it. We had our chances, hit the woodwork twice and Ryan (Colclough) had a great chance when he broken through. As goal would have changed it but the players showed a great effort in the second half.”