Crewe Alexandra 0 - 4 Leyton Orient
Coca-Cola League One

ORIENT gave their survival bid a massive boost with the most emphatic of victories over Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.

The O's were superb from start to finish and fully deserved their biggest away victory for many a year.

Adam Chambers got the ball rolling just before half-time and then the O's proceeded to put Alex to the sword after the break with Wayne Corden, Jabo Ibehre and Shane Tudor all finding the net.

Orient bossed the game all over the park, with their midfield, in particular, putting in a fine performance and Crewe could have few complaints over the convincing scoreline.

Gary Alexander almost surprised home keeper Ben Williams in the fifth minute, firing in a shot from an acute angle that Williams took some time to react to before pushing it to safety.

Two minutes later Michael O'Connor's dangerous right-wing cross cut out everyone at the near post and picked out David Vaughan at the far. Fortunately for the O's, Vaughan's angle was too tight and he could only find the side netting.

But it was the O's who started the better and with 11 minutes on the clock, Darren Moss had to stretch to divert Tudor's excellent cross behind for a corner.  Lockwood's flag-kick also had Crewe in trouble, with Alton Thelwell forcing Williams into a save with his header.

The pace of Tudor and Ibehre was worrying the Alexandra back line early on, but they reached the 25 minute mark without their goal being breached and Orient were unable to take advantage of their excellent start.

Crewe began to impose themselves on the contest a little more, showing some good movement in the final third, but it was the O's who deservedly struck first - right on the stroke of half time.

Craig Easton was the instigator of the move, spreading the ball wide to Justin Miller with a fine pass.  Miller took a touch before drilling in a low ball that Williams fumbled straight into the path of Chambers for an easy tap in from five yards.

Crewe's Ryan Lowe curled a free-kick inches wide straight away, but Orient would have been more than happy with their first half performance.

The O's started the second period similarly impressively, and their reward was a second goal six minutes after the interval when Alexander knocked over a low cross for Corden to sweep home at the far post.

The hosts offered their first threat of the second half on 63 when Julien Baudet made a good run to meet O'Connor's free-kick with a header that cleared the O's crossbar.

Miller then strode forward with 66 minutes on the clock before slamming a shot wide from the edge of the box and Orient were in total control.

The home side were not helping their own situation and a minute later they presented the O's with a third when Baudet and Williams dallied over Chambers' long ball forward, allowing Ibehre to nip in and stroke into the empty net.

Orient were stroking the ball around with consumate ease and a good passing move from right-to-left in the 79th minute ended with Matt Lockwood clipping a cross-shot beyond Williams and onto the crossbar.

Tudor and Lockwood engineered a shooting opportunity shortly afterwards with a neat short corner routine.  Tudor's goalbound shot was blocked, but he more than made up for it eight minutes from time with a stunning solo goal, sprinting down the right before beating Williams at his near post from 18 yards.

It set the seal on an extraordinary afternoon that will live long in the memory of the 386 O's fans present.

0	CREWE ALEXANDRA	COCA-COLA LEAGUE 1		LEYTON ORIENT	4
1	Ben WILLIAMS	The Alexandra Stadium - 27/1/07		Glyn GARNER	1
3	Billy JONES	Ref: Andy Hall (West Mids)		Matt LOCKWOOD (C)	3
4	Gary ROBERTS	Att: 5,280 (386 away)		Shane TUDOR	7
5	Julien BAUDET (C)	Goals (time):		Craig EASTON	8
8	Michael O'CONNOR	Chambers (44)		Gary ALEXANDER	9
11	David VAUGHAN	Corden (51)		Justin MILLER	15
12	Luke VARNEY	Ibehre (67)		Jabo IBEHRE	19
16	Ryan LOWE	Tudor (82)		Brian SAAH	21
17	Darren MOSS			Wayne CORDEN	25
20	Paul BIGNOT			Adam CHAMBERS	26
36	Rodney JACK			Alton THELWELL	27
	SUBSTITUTES	Replaced (time)		SUBSTITUTES
2	Jon OTSEMOBOR			Donny BARNARD	2
7	Tony GRANT	8 (75)		Glenn MORRIS (GK)	12
10	Michael HIGDON	36 (57)	26 (89)	Adam TANN	14
37	Daniel O'DONNELL			Jason DEMETRIOU	24
38	Lee MATTHEWS	11 (57)		James WALKER	28