Leyton Orient 0 - 1 Dagenham & Redbridge
Johnstone's Paint Trophy Southern Section Second Round

ORIENT were sent crashing out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at the second round stage on Tuesday evening by League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge.

The O's couldn't take advantage of a bright start, and once the visitors found their feet, they kept Orient on the back foot for large periods.

Ben Strevens struck the winning goal with 16 minutes remaining and Orient weren't able to record a morale-boosting win ahead of Saturday's trip to Leeds.

JJ Melligan was guilty of an horrendous miss in just the second minute of the game, when he somehow managed to place the ball wide of an open goal following Jason Demetriou;s intelligent run and cut back.

Four minutes later Jabo Ibehre shot straight at away keeper Tony Roberts as the O's started on the front foot.

However, with 18 minutes on the clock, Dagenham gave the O's an almighty scare when Strevens pounced on a loose ball inside the box to unleash a thunderous drive that thudded off the post and to safety.

The Daggers had weathered the early storm and were beginning to impose themselves on the game.

Defender Jon Boardman was next to go close, nodding Sam Sloma's corner over the top in the 26th minute.

At the other end, Dagenham centre halves Ross Smith and Boardman both went for the same ball, allowing it to drop in behind to Demetriou.  Roberts raced off his line to pressurise the O's man, and Demetriou could only clip wide.

But Dagenham were doing a good job of holding Orient at bay and Smith headed Sloma's corner wide of the near post five minutes before the interval.

Corden fizzed a cross-shot wide of the far post and Dagenham's Dave Rainford had a header cleared off the line by Aiden Palmer as the opening period ended in lively fashion - albeit with neither side able to break the deadlock.

Martin Ling introduced Stephen Purches and Charlie Daniels in a couple of planned substitutions at the break, but Dagenham were the first to seriously threaten in the second period when Glenn Morris dived low to his left to divert Sloma's 67th minute low cross from the left wing away from the incoming Strevens.

Ibehre ran a long distance to the other end and fired wide of the far post as the game threatened to come to life again.

Morris was called into action again shortly afterwards to make low saves from Southam and Taylor, but with 20 minutes to go, still the game remained goalless.

However, four minutes later Stevens broke the deadlock with a cross-cum-shot that looped over Morris and into the top corner.

The O's never looked like forcing a leveller and they will now travel to Leeds looking to break a run of three consecutive defeats.

Leyton Orient: Morris; Chambers (Purches 46), Saah, Oji, Palmer; Melligan (Daniels 46), Terry, Demetriou, Corden; Gray (Echanomi 70), Ibehre
Subs: Nelson (GK) Mkandawire

Dagenham: Roberts, Huke, Boardman, Smith, Griffiths; Southam, Rainford, Taiwo (Graham 57), Sloma; Taylor (Moore 71), Strevens
Subs: Okuonghae, Green, Moore, Thompson

Goal: Strevens (74)

Booked: Boardman

Referee: Fred Graham (Essex)

Attendance: 2,397 (763 away)