The Bluebirds won 4-3 against Leyton Orient in a breathless match

18:13, 04 Oct 2025Updated 18:18, 04 Oct 2025

Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Brian Barry-Murphy admitted he felt “immense pride” for Cardiff City players after they came out on top in a breathless 4-3 victory over Leyton Orient.

The Bluebirds head coach wasn’t overly enamoured with how his team played in the seven-goal thriller, believing his team “misinterpreted” the game plan, which led to them conceding the highest number of turnovers in their defensive third in a single game since the Irishman arrived. An unwanted record, even if ultimately it didn’t cost them.

And Barry-Murphy vented his frustrations after the match, noting his side’s misjudgement in playing out from the back against Orient’s aggressive press.

“I felt strongly throughout the first half that we misinterpreted what we needed from the game,” he said. Sign up to our WhatsApp channel here.

“We played a lot of short passes close to our goal and put ourselves under a lot of pressure against a team who we identified as being really aggressive and would apply high pressure.

“We conceded a record number of turnovers close to our goal – since we’ve been together – so by nature they were close to our goal. And you saw Aaron Connolly go through on goal and score. It was pretty high-risk stuff from us when it didn’t need to be. We just didn’t interpret correctly how to get the ball forward quicker.”

Despite the chaos, Barry-Murphy hailed his players for their second-half response as City twice came from behind before Callum Robinson struck a late winner.

“The overriding feeling from myself is one of immense pride for the players, especially in the second half,” he said.

“I don’t know what went on here over the last couple of years, but it’s quite a difficult thing for the players when you give away goals of the nature we did.

“The second goal was a crazy goal – multiple ricochets and deflections – and I’d just put that down to the nature of the game and the anxiety in the performance.

“It was pretty stressful. We made it stressful for ourselves but also the opponents did. But you saw us at our best and most dangerous when we flooded forward, attacked in wide areas and got beyond the Leyton Orient defence. Then you saw Callum Robinson and Yousef (Salech) become so dangerous. There’s so much we can learn from the first half and from the second half.”

There was also a special mention for teenager Dylan Lawlor, who scored his first senior goal in spectacular fashion with a surging solo run and finish. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.

“I think he is definitely chuffed,” Barry-Murphy said.

“He found it a really difficult game, you saw how much pressure he came under in terms of their physicality. They are a dynamic team who like to attack and he will learn a lot from the defensive side of the game.

“But his goal was symbolic of how he plays – a fearless approach, stepping forward to the edge of the box. Luckily he produced a good finish.”

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