Leyton Orient see off Salford City thanks to Smyth stunner

And after a moment of reflection, with this being Orient’s last home game ahead of Remembrance Day next month, the hosts made a fast start at a packed Brisbane Road.

They took the lead on 14 minutes with another stunning effort from Smyth, who bounced back up from one challenge and beat two more defenders in the box before smashing home his seventh goal of the season.

Theo Archibald did well to find Sotiriou in the box on 25 minutes, but the Cyprus under-21 international was unable to get a solid connection.

And El Mizouni was denied by a smart save from Tom King on the half-hour mark as his 25-yard effort arrowed towards the top corner.

O’s went close to a second on 34 minutes when Rob Hunt looked for Aaron Drinan, who saw King get to the ball first but then spill it, only for the Irish striker to see his attempt bounce off a post.

Ibou Touray was booked after a clash with Archibald, before Dan Happe produced a great tackle to deny Matt Smith and Theo Vassell headed over from a Salford corner on 41 minutes with the last chance of the half.

O’s made a bright start to the second half as Drinan found Sotiriou in the box, but his shot was blocked.

And the academy graduate had another chance on 48 minutes after being played in by Archibald, but got his finish wrong and the opportunity went begging.

Darren Pratley made way for Craig Clay in the first change of the day for Wellens, with a fluid move seeing Archibald’s cross drift beyond Drinan.

The hosts had a good chance to double their lead on 57 minutes when El Mizouni won the ball back and played Smyth through, but his shot was well saved by King, as Sotiriou waited for a pass to the left.

And Happe also went close to a second for O’s as he saw his header from an Archibald corner deflected over the crossbar on 63 minutes.

The home side kept pushing, with Drinan seeing a powerful low cross just evade the outstretched Sotiriou and then firing a tight-angled effort over the crossbar.

And another fine move saw Hunt find Archibald on the edge of the box, but his shot was deflected behind for a corner.

Archibald made way for George Moncur for the last 12 minutes of the match, with Salford’s Odin Bailey firing a free-kick over from the edge of the box on 84 minutes.

Bailey and Smyth were then booked as tempers boiled over at the end of normal time, while Drinan fired over after being played in by late substitute Stephen Duke-McKenna, as rivals Stevenage were held to a draw at Colchester.

Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, James, Happe, Smyth, Sotiriou (Duke-McKenna 89), Archibald (Moncur 78), El Mizouni, Drinan, Pratley (Clay 54), Beckles, Hunt. Unused subs: Sargeant, Ogie, Brown, Kelman.

Attendance: 7,626 (including 202 Salford fans).