Leyton Orient extend lead with success at Stockport

Goals from Darren Pratley and Omar Beckles secured victory for O’s, as nearest rivals Stevenage were held to a 1-1 draw at Grimsby.

Tom James returned to the starting line-up, as Rob Hunt missed out in the only change to the side, as head coach Richie Wellens looked on from the stands due to illness.

But the hosts made a strong start, with Miles Hippolyte seeing a shot saved by Lawrence Vigouroux in the second minute before making no mistake three minutes later to open the scoring.

The visitors soaked up more pressure and saw Vigouroux pull off a good save from Kyle Wootton on 17 minutes, before Charlie Kelman saw a shot blocked at the other end.

O’s were back on terms midway through the half when a long throw into the box caused confusion, with Beckles flicking on for captain Pratley to head into the top corner of the net for his first goal of the season.

And it remained all square at the break, with Paul Smyth just beaten to a loose ball by Stockport keeper Ben Hinchcliffe early in the second half as O’s began to see more of the ball.

Theo Archibald did well to beat three Stockport defenders, only to see his shot blocked on 54 minutes, then George Moncur found Smyth on the right and he made his way into the box before seeing a tight angle shot saved by Hinchcliffe.

O’s made a double change on the hour as Moncur and Smyth made way for Shad Ogie and Aaron Drinan, with Pratley shown a yellow card soon after.

Drinan did well to find Kelman midway through the half, but the home defence cleared the danger at the expense of a corner.

And O’s took the lead from the set-piece which was cleared only as far as Idris El Mizouni whose thundering drive was pushed onto the bar by Hinchcliffe, before Beckles fired home the rebound.

Jordan Brown was booked for a late tackle with a quarter of an hour remaining, with Kelman denied a third O’s goal after a stunning save from Hinchcliffe.

And Ogie recovered well to make a vital tackle and dispossess Paddy Madden when O’s were caught with too many men upfield on 80 minutes, with the visitors forced to defend deep in the closing stages.

Ogie cleared a ball into the box on 87 minutes, before Kelman made way for Ruel Sotiriou and Vigouroux saved a header from Wootton during six minutes of stoppage time as O’s ensured a happy trip back to east London.

Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, James, Happe, Smyth (Drinan 60), Archibald, Brown, Moncur (Ogie 60), El Mizouni, Pratley, Beckles, Kelman (Sotiriou 87). Unused subs: Sargeant, Wareham, Sweeney, Duke-McKenna.

Attendance: 9,368 (including 735 Orient fans).