Luton Town 0 - 1 Leyton Orient
Coca-Cola League One

JABO IBEHRE'S first half goal got Orient's play-off push back on track as they recorded a much-needed win at relegation-threatened Luton Town.

The O's needed to nip a five-game winless run in the bud at Kenilworth Road and a powerful first half performance ensured they would do just that.

Ibehre grabbed the all-important goal, smashing home from close range with 26 minutes on the clock following an error from Luton's Sol Davis.

Orient's lead was rarely threatened and the Londoners will look to build on this three point-haul in the coming weeks.

Luton made a bright start, but it was Orient who created the first two chances of the game with eight minutes on the clock.

First Stephen Purches sent a 20-yarder wide of the near post, and then Ibehre forced a save from Dean Brill after outmuscling George Beavan to reach Jason Demetriou's neat reverse pass.

With 15 minutes on the clock, Jason Demetriou was on the receiving end of a ridiculous booking from referee Phil Joslin.  The O's youngster provoked the anger of home right back Lewis Emanuel by preventing him from taking a quick throw in.  The Luton man clearly moved his head into Demetriou's face, but he was yellow carded for having the temerity to point this out to the official.  Emanuel escaped with a ticking off.

Orient by now held the upper hand and their pressure told with the opening goal in the 26th minute.

A glorious move down the left hand-side involving Adam Boyd, Adam Chambers and Demetriou ended with the latter backheeling for Paul Terry to put in a dangerous low cross.  Davis made a hash of dealing with it in the centre and Ibehre pounced to smash home via the crossbar.

Boyd drew another save from Brill after turning sharply and shooting from the edge of the box three minutes before the break and Orient certainly merited their interval lead.

Demetriou forced the first stop from Brill after the break when he curled an effort goalwards from 20 yards following good work from Ibehre.

Eight minutes later, Davis went some way to atoning for his earlier error when he stationed himself on the line to block Ibehre's header after Brill got himself under the flight of Demetriou's corner.

But Orient weren't safe at 1-0 and Brian Saah had to make an excellent saving tackle to deny Calvin Andrew on 65 after Sam Parkin nodded Stuart Nelson's mishit goal kick into his strike partner's path.

With 77 minutes on the clock Stephen Purches did well to ease Parkin away from danger after he looked set to latch on to Matthew Spring's through ball.

Orient survived that brief spell of home pressure, and one flashpoint aside, which saw Sam Oji and Steve Robinson booked following a foul by the Luton man on Demetriou, Orient closed the game out well to record a morale boosting victory.

Luton: Brill; Emanuel, Keane, Beavan, Davis; Bell (Furlong 68), Spring, Robinson, Morgan; Parkin, Andrew
Subs: Goodall, Perry, Talbot, Beresford (GK)

Booked: Parkin, Emanuel, Robinson

Leyton Orient: Nelson; Purches, Saah, Oji, Palmer; Gray, Chambers, Terry, Demetriou; Ibehre, Boyd (Thornton 81)
Subs: Thelwell, Melligan, Corden, Morris (GK)

Goal: Ibehre (26)

Booked: Demetriou, Gray, Oji

Referee: Phil Joslin (Nottinghamshire)

Attendance: 6,412 (1,086 away)