Leyton Orient 0 - 1 Millwall
Coca-Cola League One
ZAK WHITBREAD'S early goal condemned Orient to a disappointing derby defeat at the hands of Millwall on Tuesday evening.
The Lions' centre-half lashed into the top corner with just nine minutes on the clock to send a below par Orient to their first defeat in four League matches.
Martin Ling's side looked short of ideas going forward all evening - and it was their rare lack of a goal threat which will disappoint the O's manager the most.
Debutant Andy Barcham so nearly got his Orient career off to a dream start, using his pace to reach Adam Boyd's square ball and beat Danny Senda for pace in the second minute.
The on-loan Spurs man shot across Lions stopper Lenny Pidgeley, but the ball rolled the wrong side of the post and Millwall escaped.
The game had begun at a frenetic pace and Millwall moved into the lead in the ninth minute. Bryan Hodge swung over a free-kick to the far post, where Ali Fuseini worked the ball back for Whitbread to find the top corner from 12 yards.
From the Lions' next set piece four minutes later, Paul Robinson got up highest to nod Hodge's right wing corner towards goal. However, Glenn Morris was well positioned to pluck the ball out of the air.
Orient weren't displaying an abundance of quality on the ball in the opening stages, but a good move in the 25th minute created another chance for Barcham. Stephen Purches was forced deep by Senda, but Paul Terry made a forward run to reach Adam Chambers' lofted pass after Purches fed the ball back to him. Terry's flick fell to Barcham, whose shot was well blocked by Robinson.
At the other end, Gary Alexander met Neil Harris' cross at the near post with a forceful header which flew wide of the mark and Millwall, whose centre halves were dealing with everything thrown at them in the air, were good value for their half time lead.
Orient's biggest threat was coming from Barcham, and he weaved his way through the Lions backline on 42, but found his route to goal blocked by Pidgeley.
The home side needed a lift in the second period and Barcham tried to provide it on 51, receiving possession from Boyd before shifting the ball onto his left foot and shooting over from outside the box.
Martin Ling then opted to try the lively Barcham up front, with Wayne Gray moving to the right wing, and the former turned Paul Terry's low cross the wrong side of the post on 64.
For Millwall, Alexander was having more of an influence than in the opening period, and he held the ball up shortly afterwards before laying back to Danny Senda, who curled an effort into Glenn Morris' arms from 20 yards.
And with 19 minutes to go, the visitors fashioned an excellent chance to seal the points. Ali Fuseini and Jay Simpson found themselves two-on-one against Tamika Mkandawire. Fuseini slipped the ball to Simpson, but the Lions substitute couldn't beat Morris with his right-footed shot.
Simpson missed another chance in stoppage time, but with Orient unable to exert any pressure on the visitors' goal, Millwall didn't need a second and the win - their first away from home this season - was fully deserved.
Leyton Orient: Morris; Purches, Thelwell, Mkandawire, Daniels; Barcham, Chambers, Terry, Demetriou (Echanomi 72); Gray, Boyd
Subs: Nelson (GK), Saah, Palmer, Shields
Millwall: Pidgeley, Bignot, Robinson, Whitbread, Senda (Bakayogo 83); Fuseini, Hodge, Brkovic (Barron 72); Harris (Simpson 67), Hoskins; Alexander
Subs: Day (GK), Gaynor
Goal: Whitbread (9)
Booked: Bignot, Pidgeley
Referee: Andy Penn (West Midlands)
Attendance: 6,220 (1,568 away)
