Leyton Orient 1 - 0 Cheltenham Town
Coca Cola League Two

PAUL CONNOR's first goal at Brisbane Road was enough for Orient to secure a vital home win over play-off chasing Cheltenham Town and move back into the division's top four.

But, as has often proved the case during their seven-match unbeaten run, Orient's fans were left with chewed fingernails as Cheltenham bossed most of the contest and coming close to scoring on a number of occasions.

Brian Wilson twice missed sitters in the opening period and Glyn Garner had to make three outstanding saves to hold Cheltenham at bay but Orient showed the deadlier touch in front of goal to ensure they kept pace with Wycombe and Grimsby, who also won on Saturday.

The visitors' David Bird worked the first sight on goal when he collected Steve Guinan's knock down on the edge of the box in the fifth minute. Gabriel Zakuani bravely flung himself at the winger's feet to stop the danger at source and deflect his shot harmlessly behind.

Orient's first opportunity arrived six minutes later when Jason Demetriou, making his first Orient start, fed Jabo Ibehre with a neat inside ball from the right channel.

Ibehre, himself making a return to the starting line-up, fired off a snap-shot that Shane Higgs fielded down by his feet.

But the player guilty of the two most glaring misses during the opening stages was Brian Wilson. Firstly, he inexplicably sidefooted over the bar after beating the offside trap to meet Michael Townsend's header forward after 14 minutes and then, four minutes later, he repeated the trick less than four yards out after Steve Gillespie had picked Adam Tann's pocket by the corner flag and sent in a low cross.

And the Cheltenham midfielder was made to pay for his profligacy on 23 minutes when Connor netted his debut Brisbane Road goal.

Demetriou played a significant role in the strike, swinging over a dangerous cross to Joe Keith at the far post, who controlled and drilled the ball back for Connor to glance home past a helpless Higgs.

The visitors were a little unfortunate to be behind and they almost drew level on 32 minutes when only a fine low save from Glyn Garner prevented former West Ham man Grant McCann from netting with a fierce 25-yarder.

The Robins continued to threaten and when McCann's 36th minute corner caused havoc in the six-yard box and equaliser seemed inevitable. Craig Easton, however, came to the rescue with a couple of goalline clearances from Guinan and Gillespie.

Another brilliant Garner save preserved the O's lead five minutes before the interval as Gillespie became yet another away attacker to see his efforts frustrated, seeing his shot on the turn turned around by Garner after the hosts had only half-cleared a McCann free-kick.

Zakuani was the next to save Orient, throwing himself at Guinan to block the striker's shot after Wilson's right wing cross had dropped at his feet 10 yards out.

The O's regrouped at the break and began the second period strongly, with Higgs needing to be alert to smother at Ibehre's feet after Keith had slipped him through inside the area.

But their good work was almost undone on 52 minutes when Zakuani misjudged the flight of Townsend's hoof forward and allowed Gillespie a run in behind him. Garner came out to the edge of the box and the Cheltenham striker fell over him, but referee Kevin Wright was unmoved and awarded the O's a goalkick.

That was the cue for the visitors to regain the ascendancy and Wilson was again only a whisker away from levelling with an angled drive four minutes later that flew wide of the goal.

Cheltenham still asked most of the questions and Gillespie tied Tann in knots with a jinking run and forced Garner to save his low effort with his legs.

At the other end Connor wasted a golden opportunity to kill the game off eighteen minutes from time when he failed to make a proper connection just eight yards from goal and shot weakly into Higgs' arms after Ibehre's cross had rebounded off Keith and into his path.

Orient's mission to walk the ball into the net continued three minutes later when, with Cheltenham pressing forward, Orient broke swiftly but couldn't make the most of the opportunity with Ibehre's attempted pass to Daryl McMahon bobbling away from danger after the Irishman had initially released his striker down the left flank.

But still the visitors came at Orient and substitute Kayode Odejayi rose strongly but could only head over when McCann delivered a right wing corner six minutes from the end.

There was still time for Cheltenham to place Orient hearts in mouths once more but they were able to breathe a huge sigh of relief when Gillespie poked wide of the mark after Craig Armstrong had intercepted Donny Barnard's pass and played him clean through.

Five agonising minutes of stoppage time then had to be negotiated safely as Orient held firm to register their fifth clean sheet in seven games and secure three precious points.

by Leo Tyrie