Leyton Orient 1 - 2 Northampton Town
Coca Cola League Two

ORIENT'S cup heroes came crashing back down to earth with another poor home display as they registered a sixth league defeat of the season at Brisbane Road.

The O's were rarely at the races against a well-organised Northampton Town side, whose alternative 3-4-3 system proved effective in snuffing out Orient's attacking threat and causing them problems at the back.

But with Martin Ling's side lacking their creative edge anyway, as only Michael Simpson from the four midfielders offered any resistance to the Cobblers, an away win always looked on the cards.

An inauspicious opening to the game only produced one chance of note when Jason Lee, making his debut for Northampton and playing against Orient for the second time in a fortnight, headed a deep Jason Crowe cross back across goal and out of play.

Four minutes later Jabo Ibehre put the ball in the Cobblers net after a high pass forward from Shane Tudor saw him out-battle Luke Chambers to possession.

Ibehre toed the ball towards goal and Lee Harper could only help it on its way but referee Russell Booth adjudged Ibehre to have fouled Chambers on his way through.

On 20 the O's best move of the game ended with Ibehre breaking into the box on the left and laying the ball off for Joe Keith who found Matt Lockwood on the wing.

His low cross was met at the far post by Gary Alexander, but he drilled his shot wide.

It was then Northampton's turn to have a goal chalked off as Scott McGleish showed his studs to Glyn Garner and was pulled back for a foul as he slotted the loose ball home.

However, McGleish didn't have long to wait to score against one of his former clubs when, ten minutes before the interval, he reacted quickest to swivel and shoot home from six yards after Andy Kirk's low 20 yard drive was only parried by Garner.

Lockwood then made a crucial interception on Kirk as he was poised to shoot with Northampton pressing their superiority home and Orient unable to establish any foothold on the match.

A minute after the re-start things took another turn for the worse for the O's when Garner was forced off with concussion after colliding with Gabriel Zakuani.

His replacement, Glenn Morris, could then do nothing about Chris Doig's bullet header from a David Hunt corner in the 54th minute as Town doubled their lead.

And with Orient's strikers having minimal impact against a rock-solid back three and their midfield - severely missing Craig Easton - sadly off-colour, there looked like little chance of a reprieve.

Indeed, Morris was called into action more than his opposite number Lee Harper, as he saved a near post header from McGleish after an Eoin Jess corner.

Daryl McMahon gave Orient a glimmer of hope with a fierce strike in off the bar five minutes from time as the ball dropped to him on the edge of the area following a Harper fumble.

But Morris had to twice more save Orient's bacon after McGleish played a one-two with Hunt and found himself clear only for the goalkeeper to close the angle sufficiently to block the shot.

And then, in the fourth of seven added on minutes, he dived away to parry a Hunt free-kick and block McGleish's follow up as Northampton sought the killer third.

Despite the lengthy period of stoppage time, Orient could find an unlikely equaliser, with Alexander's off-target effort from a low Wayne Carlisle centre their best chance.

1	LEYTON ORIENT	COCA COLA LEAGUE 2		NORTHAMPTON TN	2
1	Glyn GARNER	Brisbane Road - 14/1/06		Lee HARPER	1
3	Matthew LOCKWOOD	Ref: Russell Booth (Notts)		Jason CROWE	2
4	Michael SIMPSON	Att: 5445 (784)		Luke CHAMBERS	5
6	John MACKIE (C)	Goals:		Chris DOIG	6
9	Gary ALEXANDER	McGleish (35)		Ian TAYLOR	7
11	Joe KEITH	Doig (54)		Andy KIRK	8
14	Gabriel ZAKUANI	McMahon (85)		Scott McGLEISH YC	9
15	Justin MILLER			Josh LOW	10
16	Shane TUDOR			David HUNT	12
17	Daryl McMAHON YC			Sean DYCHE (GK)	16
19	Jabo IBEHRE			Jason LEE YC	27
	SUBSTITUTES	Replaced (time)		SUBSTITUTES
2	Donny BARNARD		8 (77)	Eoin JESS	11
7	Wayne CARLISLE	15 (76)		Mark BUNN (GK)	13
10	Lee STEELE	11 (66)		Martin SMITH	19
12	Glenn MORRIS (GK)	1 (49)	10 (70)	Pedj BOJIC	20
24	Jason DEMETRIOU			Junior MENDES	29