Sad Orient sunk as Bournemouth power to first home win

Two goals in three second-half minutes from Lewis Grabban and Marc Pugh left Orient well beaten at Bournemouth on Saturday.

Little was seen of the visitors as an attacking force and they rarely threatened to spoil Eddie Howe’s party as Bournemouth finally won their first home game of the season.

The Cherries fans turned out in force to welcome home Howe, who has returned to the club as manager after a spell with Burnley, and the home side seemed inspired as they started well.

But Orient kept things tight and almost grabbed the lead on 12 minutes when ex-Cherry Michael Symes tried a speculative effort from 30 yards that almost caught out former England keeper David James.

But Bournemouth continued to enjoy the majority of possession and almost took the lead on 32 minutes when Lee Barnard flicked a header just wide.

Two minutes later the home side should have taken the lead when Eunan O’Kane broke clear but he delayed his shot and Ryan Allsop in the visiting goal was able to make a brave block with his chest and the O’s defence smuggled the ball away to safety.

The pressure was starting to mount, but with Ben Chorley and Nathan Clarke outstanding in the visiting defence, O’s dug deep and managed to remain on terms at the interval with a gritty defensive display.

Bournemouth were forced to make a change just before the break when Richard Hughes limped off and was replaced by Lorenzo Davids and O’s boss Russell Slade would have been relieved to hear the half-time whistle.

The second half followed a familiar pattern and when Dean Cox conceded possession with a wayward pass on 51 minutes Grabban fired in a shot, but Allsop pulled off a smart save.

Then the home side appealed for a penalty when Barnard went down under a challenge from Rowlands, but referee Steve Martin waved away their claims.

But Bournemouth wrapped up the points with a double strike in three minutes and both had an element of fortune.

The first, on 65 minutes came from a corner delivered by Simon Francis that found it’s way to the far post, and the ball seemed hit Grabban and bounced into the net.

Then, on 67 minutes, Allsop rolled the ball to Clarke, but the O’s skipper slipped, was caught in possession, and Pugh raced clear and rounded Allsop to score.

Orient made a double change with Ryan Brunt and Moses Odubajo replacing Lee Cook and Symes.

But there was no way back for the O’s who were second best for much of the game and it took a flying save from Allsop to keep out a Charlie Daniels free-kick on 89 minutes.

Few of the visitors emerged with credit. Allsop did well pulling off some fine saves, while Chorley and Clarke, apart from his slip, defended well, in an otherwise toothless performance.

Bournemouth: James, Daniels, Francis, Barnard, MacDonald, O’Kane, Addison, Grabban, Pugh, Hughes Davids (44 mins), Elphick. Subs: Jalal, Cook, Partington, McQuoid, Tubbs, Demouge.

Leyton Orient: *Allsop 8, McSweeney 6, Chorley 7, Clarke 7, Sawyer 6; Cox 6, Rowlands 6, Griffith 7, Cook 5 (Odubajo 68 mins); Symes 5 (Brunt 68 mins), Wagstaff 6 (Mooney 81 mins). Subs: Baudry, Smith, Laird, James.

Referee: Steve Martin

Attendance: 5,715 (inc 499 Orient fans)