Archibald stunner sends Leyton Orient further clear at top

Theo Archibald’s stunning effort proved decisive and opened up a gap at the summit, with nearest rivals Stevenage set to take on Premier League side Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.

Aaron Drinan, Paul Smyth and George Moncur returned to the starting line-up for O’s, with Adam Thompson alongside Jordan Brown in central defence in the absence of long-term injury victim Dan Happe and the suspended Omar Beckles.

O’s made a bright start, with Smyth producing a burst into the box, before Idris El Mizouni broke up a Donny counter-attack and Brown deflected a visiting effort behind.

Tom Anderson headed over from a corner before Smyth, Archibald and Moncur combined and Drinan was denied at the far post.

Jonathan Mitchell palmed Moncur’s inswinging corner clear, before George Miller sent a shot wide midway through the half for Donny.

El Mizouni saw a low shot blocked behind after Drinan, Smyth and Moncur had been involved in the build-up, and Archibald’s shot was saved by Mitchell on 35 minutes.

And the scoreline remained blank at the break, with Ruel Sotiriou replacing Moncur early in the second half for the hosts.

Archibald won a corner on 56 minutes after a smart move from O’s, with Brown seeing his powerful effort from the set-piece blocked.

And a long throw-in caused some panic in the Donny box, with a visiting player falling on the ball to block before his side were awarded a free-kick.

Sotiriou did well to win a free-kick after being fouled by Anderson when chasing a loose back pass, with Archibald seeing a shot from an acute angle pushed behind for a corner by Mitchell soon after.

Tom James saw a shot from a short corner routine deflected behind, while Sotiriou saw his volley pushed to safety by Mitchell after pouncing on a defensive header.

But O’s got their noses in front on 68 minutes to the delight of the Brisbane Road crowd thanks to a stunning goal from Archibald, who chested the ball down some 25 yards out and hit a dipping volley into the top corner of the net.

The heavens opened soon after, but O’s kept pushing in search of a second goal and Smyth made way for Stephen Duke-McKenna.

Donny’s Kyle Knoyle blasted over from the edge of the box three minutes from time, with Charlie Kelman replacing Drinan in the final change for O’s as normal time drew to a close.

And Duke-McKenna did superbly to win a free-kick by the corner flag after racing across to beat a Doncaster defender during five minutes of stoppage time, before Brown headed a last-gasp corner clear.

Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, James, Thompson, Smyth (Duke-McKenna 81), Archibald, Brown, Moncur (Sotiriou 53), El Mizouni, Drinan (Kelman 89), Pratley, Hunt. Unused subs: Sargeant, Clay, Wareham, Sweeney.

Attendance: 7,402 (including 384 Doncaster fans).