Leyton Orient 3 - 1 Port Vale
Coca-Cola League One

THREE goals in a stunning seven-minute second half blast took Orient back to the top of the League One table on Saturday.

Orient had been unable to take advantage of a bright start and found themselves behind at the interval to Luke Rodgers' 40th minute goal.

But they started the second period at a real tempo and soon took the game away from their lowly visitors.

Tamika Mkandawire got them back on track with a headed equaliser before strikers Jabo Ibehre and Adam Boyd got in on the act to seal victory.

Boyd slipped strike partner Ibehre in for the games first chance on two minutes.  Vale stopper Joe Anyon dived to his left to block Ibehre's effort and Adam Chambers' follow-up shot was blocked away to safety.

The O's had made a bright start, but one-time Brisbane Road transfer target Rodgers fired a warning shot five minutes later when he controlled on his chest and volleyed a foot over the top.

At the other end, Jason Demetriou's free-kick paved the way for Boyd to brush the crossbar with a looping header after finding space at the back post to reach Mkandawire's nod back scross goal.

But the game soon entered a lull, which JJ Melligan's forceful run threatened to break on 24 minutes.  The winger dragged his shot wide.

Shortly afterwards, Boyd's excellent touch sent Demetriou clear down the left.  Ibehre peeled off the last man, but Demetriou's pass was just overhit and Anyon raced off his line to gather.

A quick Vale break reminded Orient of their threat, and Rodgers' cross was headed over by Marc Richards at the far post.

The O's were still in control, although they were relying on half-chances, and the next of these fell to Boyd, who controlled on his chest and shot over on the turn with 33 minutes on the clock.

The diminutive Rodgers, however, was causing problems for the home side and it was the former Shrewsbury man who opened the scoring five minutes before the break, running through the middle to reach Richards' flick on and tuck past an exposed Stuart Nelson.

Orient looked to hit back at the start of the second period and after Mkandawire had a header plucked out of the air by Anyon, Boyd had penalty claims turned down when Paul Edwards appeared to trip him in the box.

An almighty goalmouth scramble on 52 ended with Paul Terry having a shot blocked, and the O's finally gained their reward on 54 when both Brian Saah and Mkandawire stayed up following a corner, and the former's terrific cross picked out Mkandawire for a placed header which gave Anyon no chance.

Two minutes later Melligan found space on the right and sent over a cross towards Ibehre, who literally could not miss from five yards, crashing a diving header past a helpless Anyon.

And with 61 minutes on the clock, rampant Orient made their dominance count when Adam Chambers burst into the box, cut inside and was chopped down by Anyon as he looked to square to Boyd.  Referee Mike Thorpe pointed straight to the spot and Boyd did the rest, drilling down the middle.

Vale were dejected by Orient's three-goal blast and Terry alomst added a fourth when his angled shot went through Anyon, only for the away stopper to reach back and grab the ball on the line.

Charlie Daniels then fizzed a long-range shot just wide of the far post as Orient lost their inhibitions and began to play with a swagger.

WIth ten to play, Chambers was next to go close, running clear down the left and opening his body but placing the shot wide of the far post.

The home side couldn't add a fourth, but that three-goal salvo at the start of the second period was more than enough for the O's,

Leyton Orient: Nelson; Purches, Mkandawire, Saah, Daniels; Melligan, Chambers, Terry, Demetriou (Corden 88); Ibehre (Gray 83), Boyd
Subs: Oji, Palmer, Echanomi

Goals: Mkandawire (54), Ibehre (56), Boyd (pen 61)

Booked: Demetriou, Saah

Port Vale: Anyon; Miller (Westwood 74), McGregor, Pilkington, Edwards; Tudor (Willock 83), Hulbert, Rocastle, Whitaker (Talbot 63); Richards, Rodgers
Subs: Glover, Atkinson

Goal: Rodgers (40)

Booked: Hulbert, McGregor

Referee: Mike Thorpe (Suffolk)

Attendance: 4,555 (196 away)