Orient express back on track

8:09am Monday 5th November 2007

Leyton Orient 1
Oldham 0
(League One)

ORIENT returned to winning ways after securing a narrow victory over struggling Oldham.

The O's took just eight minutes to break the deadlock, after Charlie Daniels raced onto Jabo Ibehre's flick on and smashed home from the edge of the area.

Orient continued to look threatening, with Ibehre sending a powerful effort just over the bar while strike partner Adam Boyd glanced a header narrowly wide.

At the other end Andy Liddell fired one just the wrong side of a post on 21 minutes, before Daniels sent a free-kick narrowly over the bar.

The O's almost doubled their lead on 51 from a scrambled corner, but Alton Thelwell had a shot cleared off the line by Gary McDonald.

The Latics looked to get back into the game, but Deane Smalley couldn't keep header on target on the hour.

Adam Boyd, who showed some sublime touches throughout the afternoon then carved out a good opening for himself, but his powerful effort sailed just over the bar.

Oldham finished the half the stronger Craig Davis and Chris Taylor both going close, while Neal Trotman had a powerful header cleared off the line by Jason Demetriou two minutes from time.

Delighted O's boss Martin Ling said: "It was a great finish from Charlie and the lad has certainly got a very good technique when he strikes the ball.

"He got a bit of criticism when he first came here, because some of the fans thought he wasn't much of a player and just a pretty boy from Tottenham. But he has proved his critics wrong and shut them up after getting his third goal of the season today."

Reflecting on the match as a whole, the O's chief added: "It was a scrappy affair and we have scraped out a 1-0 win.

"Sometimes though those kind of results are more pleasing than a scintillating performance, and it is good to be back up to second."

ORIENT: Nelson; Purches, Thelwell, Mkandawire, Daniels; Melligan (83 Corden), Terry, Chambers, Demetriou (89 Saah); Boyd, Ibehre (62 Gray). Unused: Palmer, Echanomi