Early goals help O’s bounce back to winning ways

FULL-TIME: Orient 2 Plymouth Argyle 0

Orient moved to within three points of the play-offs with this win against struggling Plymouth.

It was hardly a classic, but Orient needed to get back to winning ways after taking just one point from their last 12.

An early goal from Scott McGleish and a second from Dean Cox in the first 13 minutes settled the game and after that O’s were prepared to protect their lead. But Saturday’s match against promotion-chasing Southampton will be a togher test.

HERE’S THE ACTION:

4 mins - Orient take the lead with the first chance of the game. Dean Cox sends in a great cross from the left, Jimmy Smith heads it back across goal and top scorer Scott McGlesih heads home his 17th goal of the season. 1-0

10 mins - Orient miss a chance to go 2-0 up as Cox sends in another good cross from the left and Alex Revell, lurking at the far post, heads tamely wide. The O’s striker desperately needs a goal.

13 mins - Plymouth look like being in for a long night as Dean Cox scores Orient’s second. Andrew Whing sent Alex Revell down the right and his cross found Cox, who controlled the ball and fired past David Button from eight yards. 2-0

15 mins - Visitng keeper David Button is penalised for picking up a back pass at the feet of Scott McGleish. The free-kick is laid back to Adam Chambers, but his shot is blocked.

16 mins- Scott McGleish goes close with another effort.

20 mins - Plymouth’s first real shot in anger comes from Rory Fallon, who flashes a 25-yard drive just wide.

32 mins- Andrew Whing goes into the book for handball as Plymouth try and get back into the game.

36 mins - Plymouth’s Yannick Bolasie goes into the book for a foul on Elliot Omozusi

37 mins - A blow for Orient as Alex Revell stretches for a ball and stays down and a stretcher is called for

40 mins - After a three-minute delay Revell is stretchered off and Jonathan Tehoue comes on.

43 mins - Plymouth go close as they start to get into the game.

HALF-TIME: Orient 2 Plymouth Argyle 0 - Orient took a vice-like grip after McGleish and Cox struck early on. Plymouth came back into the game late in the half, but a worry for manager Russell Slade will be the injury to Alex Revell,

52 mins - O’s are denied what looked like a clear penalty when skipper Stephen Dawson burst forward, but was pushed over by Stephane Zubar. Referee Michael Naylor waved away Orient’s appeals.

69 mins- The game is drifting now, but Plymouth make their first change and Simon Walton replaces Rory Patterson.

71 mins - Plymouth come close to pulling a goal back, but Rory Fallon’s close-range header is well saved by Jamie Jones.

76 mins - Substitute Simon Walton goes into the book for a foul on Dean Cox.

83 mins - Plymouth make a second substitution, with Jed Harper-Penman replacing Joe Mason

85 mins - Harry Kane replaces Scott McGleish.

87 mins - Orient’s first real effort of the second half. Harry Kane plays a great ball out wide to Dean Cox, who cuts in and shoots, but David Button saves.

Full-time: Orient 2 Plymouth 0

Orient: Jones, Whing, Omozusi, Barrett, Daniels, Chambers, Spring, Dawson, Cox, Revell (Tehoue 40 mins), McGleish (Kane 85 mins). Subs: Butcher, Forbes, Crowe, Carroll, M’Poku.

Plymouth Argyle: Button, Duguid, N’Gala, Fletcher, Patterson (Walton 69 mins), Fallon, Mason (Harper-Penman 83 mins), Bolasie, Peterlin, Nelson, Zubar. Subs: Larrieu, Baker, Timar, Young.

Referee: Michael Naylor.

Attendance: 3,255 (inc 449 Plymouth fans).

TEAM NEWS:

Orient manager Russell Slade makes two changes to the side beaten at Charlton on Saturday.

Defender Andrew Whing and midfielder Adam Chambers return to the starting line-up, while Terrell Forbes and Tommy Carroll drop to the bench.

Without a win in four games, Slade admits Orient are in the last chance saloon as they look to try and gatecrash the play-offs.

With this, the first of three successive home matches, it’s a match that the O’s must win, against a Plymouth side who are rooted to the foot of the table following a 10-point deduction