League One: Charlton Athletic 2 Leyton Orient 0 match report

Charlton Athletic helped calm the nerves of some of their nail-biting supporters with a narrow victory over London rivals Leyton Orient this afternoon.

With title rivals Sheffield Wednesday having beaten Stevenage in the lunchtime kick-off in League One, home supporters knew anything less than three points against the O’s would have heaped pressure on Chris Powell’s side.

However, goals from Scott Wagstaff and substitute Dany N’Guessan at either end of the contest saw the Addicks hold serve in the race for top spot and put the ball back in the court of the Sheffield clubs to try and break them with just six matches remaining.

Orient were perhaps lucky not to be farther than one goal behind at half-time, but improved after the break and finally began to pressure the hosts on the ball.

Despite their increased endeavour, Ben Hamer in the Charlton net was rarely tested and manager Russell Slade could not claim his side deserved more from their trip to south east London.

O’s supporters may still be casting anxious glances at the results of the sides below them in the division and Wycombe’s late equaliser at Stevenage means at least another week of completing hypothetical end-of-season results generators.

Bradley Wright-Phillips saw a convincing appeal for a penalty turned down after just three minutes when he appeared to be pulled back by Scott Cuthbert, but it wasn’t long before the home crowd could celebrate.

After having his heels clipped, Yann Kermorgant’s quick thinking from the resulting free-kick freed Rhoys Wiggins while Orient winger George Porter, a former Chislehurst Arrows and Cray Wanderers youngster, was caught napping.

Wiggins burst into open space and put the ball on a plate for the onrushing Wagstaff to tap into an empty net.

Charlton were rampant at the start as Orient, perhaps showing the effects of a midweek trip to Oldham, were second to every ball. Leon Cort headed in Dale Stephens’ corner after 16 minutes, but the defender was adjudged to have handled the ball.

Orient eventually began to get a foothold in the contest and the most controversial moment of the match came when Ben Chorley’s shot was blocked by the arm of Rhoys Wiggins on the line – but once again the referee remained still.

Hamer had to be alert to palm away a long-range effort from former Addick Matthew Spring minutes later, but it was as close as the visitors from east London came to beating the former Reading stopper.

Orient, whose treatment room has seen a lot of action this season, suffered another setback when Cuthbert suffered a serious hamstring injury when chasing Wiggins on the half-hour mark.

Slade can expect to receive a letter from the FA after his side received five bookings during the match, but David Mooney was lucky to escape a card early after kicking out when Wagstaff showed him a clear pair of heels.

Lee Cook, on his second home debut, impressed on the left of midfield throughout and helped stretch Orient by hugging the touchline while pinning the pacy Syam Ben Youssef back in defence.

Mooney, who hit a bum note on his return to The Valley, saw a weak effort saved by Hamer before Paul Rachubka’s superb double save from Wright-Phillips and Cook kept his side in the game for a little longer.

Ben Youssef’s dipping free-kick was well held by the Charlton stopper and Lisbie should have done better when he headed a corner harmlessly wide soon after.

Charlton finally scored the second their play deserved when Cook’s pinpoint cross picked out N’Guessan to power a header past Rachubka and put the result beyond doubt.

Attention for each manager now turns to the next week including a double-header of games over the Easter weekend, after which fortunes at the top and bottom of the table will become a lot clearer.

Charlton Athletic: Hamer, Wiggins, Morrison, Cort, Solly, Cook (Green, 87 mins), Hollands, Stephens, Wagstaff, Kermorgant, Wright-Phillips (N’Guessan, 75 mins).

Subs not used: Sullivan, Taylor, Pritchard.

Leyton Orient: Rachubka, Forbes, Cuthbert (Ben Youssef, 32 mins), Chorley, Leacock, Mooney (Cox, 71 mins), Reed, Spring, Smith, Porter (Andrew, 82 mins), Lisbie.

Subs not used: Laird, Taiwo.

Referee: Mr M Brown

Attendance: 17,425