Leyton Orient see off Salford to stretch lead to 10 points

Richie Wellens made one change to his starting line-up from the win over Carlisle, as Sotiriou came in for Charlie Kelman.

And the visitors made a bright start, with Kieran Sadlier seeing a dangerous cross headed away on four minutes.

Paul Smyth’s 14th-minute goal had proved the difference between the sides at Brisbane Road in late October and he fired straight at Alex Cairns from a tight angle, after being played in on the right by Rob Hunt.

And Sotiriou beat the offside trap but saw a shot deflected into the arms of the home keeper by one of his defenders on 14 minutes.

O’s had penalty claims turned away when Moncur went down in the box after being set free by Sotiriou, with Smyth stinging the palms of Cairns with a well-struck shot from the edge of the box.

But the breakthrough came midway through the half when Sadlier met a deflected cross at the far post and fired the ball across the six-yard box for Sotiriou to convert.

Hunt produced an important clearance at the far post as Salford looked to respond, while Cairns pushed a strong shot from Sotiriou away on 32 minutes.

And O’s doubled their advantage two minutes later after a fine move from the back ended with Sotiriou teeing up Moncur to fire home from the edge of the box.

Adrian Mariappa headed over from a Salford set-piece, then picked up a booking for a bad foul before Hunt came to the rescue with a stunning clearance to deny Callum Hendry just before the break.

More good build-up play created a chance for Moncur soon after the restart, with Cairns coming up with the save, and Sotiriou flashed wide after beating Ryan Leak with his pace.

Smyth countered from a Salford corner and was fouled by Ibou Touray, who was booked, but Lawrence Vigouroux had to produce an outstanding save to prevent Luke Bolton from halving the deficit just before the hour mark.

Smyth then had his name taken for a foul on Touray, before more heroics from Vigouroux, who tipped Stephen Mallan’s shot onto a post. 

And Sotiriou needed treatment after going down in the box, with O’s seeing another penalty appeal turned down by referee Darren Handley, before Sadlier made way for Tom James in their first change of the day.

Jayden Sweeney went close to a third O’s goal on 72 minutes, firing over from close range, before Sotiriou was shown a yellow card.

And Hendry fired straight at Vigouroux from the edge of the box on 76 minutes, before Moncur was replaced by Jordan Brown for the final stages and Hunt made another timely intervention to take the ball away from Hendry at the far post.

Sotiriou was unable to find Sweeney as the pair broke through in a two-on-two situation four minutes from time, with Craig Clay and Stephen Duke-McKenna sent on for Smyth and Darren Pratley to help see things out.

Idris El Mizouni sent a 30-yard chip just wide in the first of eight minutes of stoppage time, before Matthew Lund clashed with Sweeney – which led to a melee between the players – and was eventually booked.

But there was no spoiling Orient’s mood as they ensured a happy return trip back to east London, with nearest rivals Northampton having suffered a 2-0 loss at Newport.

Now unbeaten in 11 matches, O’s host Harrogate Town at Brisbane Road on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm).

Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, Smyth (Clay 88), Sotiriou, Moncur  (Brown 83), El Mizouni, Pratley (Duke-McKenna 88), Beckles, Sweeney, Hunt, Sadlier (James 70), Turns.

Unused subs: Sargeant, Thompson, McCart.