At least no one’s saying we should have kept Orsi.

This is why we used to have reserve teams, playing regularly in a stiff's league'

Harbottle wasn't exactly the Messiah, ok he scored a good goal t Notts county but it’s only in retrospect that we need him now

The release of Hardbottle reminds of the transfer of Ollie Palmer

I think Bugiel has a hamstring injury, so for him to be ready next Saturday is an optimistic wish I’d say… Lewis’ knee didn’t look like a good one, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he was missing too… Some fringe players need to step up in the remaining games and keep us up…

Pretty sure if you go off with a head injury, there's a six day wait before you can play again. He'd miss the game next Saturday if thats the case. The count i believe starts the day after the injury

From reading around most people seem to be accepting that this is a budget issue rather than an ability issue* but Hackford right now looks like he needs taking off the line. Good enough off the ball but whenever the ball reaches him his first touch is dreadful, rarely gets a second touch as a result, his passing his woeful and his shooting is akin to my golf swing when I’m hungover and don’t wanna be there. I do not envy JJ in this situation because I can’t say “I’d rather play x” because you’re into youth players.

I can’t really see us winning (or even scoring) in our last 5 games but if, as subfloor, we play for 0-0 I would think that we could get a point in at least 2 of the Burton, Wigan and Huddersfield games and you would think that 2 more points would be enough to stay ahead of Exeter

Looton are at Wembley next week, so once they got the 3pts, they weren't going to press hard

Don Simon - I wished I shared your optimism. I think they will get 4 - I said a couple of days ago that if they beat Doncaster, we are in big trouble. I stand by that. Plymouth away for them sounds like a guaranteed home win but it’s their derby. They will be 2000 fans or whatever. Like us at orient

With our ridiculous injury list I really cannot see us getting any more points this season. Not the manager's or the injured or fit players' fault, just really bad luck. Apparently only Browne is likely to return. It remains to be seen if 50 points is enough but I somehow doubt it.

If it had been a chess game we would have resigned (and in practice acted as if we had done so) after they got their second goal, so the decision to take Bugiel off, even without being able to replace him was entirely sensible- once they got 3-0 up they seemed to lose interest in scoring as well, a very odd last 20 minutes-atmosphere like a pre-season friendly (even down to the small crowd as so many left early)

Exeter won’t get another 4 points. They’ll beat burton, but lose the other 3 of against teams in or chasing playoffs. We’ll stay up by a solitary point and all will be good with the world

What was the point of keeping it 11v11 when we had already lost the game? Hope we can get Bugiel fit again before the end of the season, more chance if he is off as soon as he is feeling the injury. Good to see Hutchinson on the pitch, maybe he'll scrape us a draw or win in the last game of the season to stay up. And I saw Stewart with his tracksuit off though he didn't come on.

National League relegation spots all but done. Poor Morecambe play next season in National League North.

Laurence, that's the funniest thing have heard all day. This isn't the Dog and Duck v the Kinga Arms.

Bugiel should have gone off with a head injury then you are allowed a concussion sub.

Glad to have finally got to Plough Lane today but not the result I was hoping for, thought the third goal was weak and that Junior Nkeng should have put more crosses in but otherwise nice weather and nice to actually be at a home game

It’s not April 1st mate

Strange decision to play out with ten players. I would have switched Bugiel with Bishop and had the latter played up front as a nuisance, which would have kept it 11 v 11.

Just 2 draws or a win please!

Down there, on the death spiral. [Link]

25th April is Wigan v Wimbledon, Burton v Exeter and Blackpool v Orient, could be a pivotal day

I don’t think we’re going down but if we do I’ve got no blame for Jackson at all. Before the horrid run of injuries we were massively outperforming budget, squad depth and talent.

Luton finally got to play a team that allowed them to play their nice football that I’m sure their fans thought would mean they’d walk this league with their championship squad and premier league money.