UK Cypriots prevailed in the Leyton Orient v Southend match on the team sheet there was three Cypriots for Leyton Orient Ruel Sotiriou and Hector Kyprianou and for Southend Jason Demetriou and in addition signed up for Southend is Harry Kyprianou who was not playing.
LEYTON ORIENT WON THEIR FIRST DERBY WITH SOUTHEND SINCE 2007, AS CAPTAIN JOBI MCANUFF’S SUBLIME FREE-KICK AND CONOR WILKINSON’S FANTASTIC DINK MADE THE DIFFERENCE.
The O’s made two changes from the defeat at Cambridge United, with Tunji Akinola returning to the side, this time partnering Dan Happe at the centre of defence, whilst
It was almost a perfect start for The O’s, as Vigouroux’s inch-perfect kick set up a rapid counterattack for The O’s, with Lee Angol delivering into the box.
Johnson was kept at bay, before Wilkinson remained composed and looked set to fire home – but saw his effort blocked on the line by Sam Hart.
Wilkinson was no doubt Orient’s bright spark, and came close again to opening the scoring, just after the half-hour mark.
Craig Clay’s clever reverse ball found Wilkinson in space on the right-hand side of the box, but once more Oxley was equal to it with a smart low save.
The O’s largely dominated the first half, but were given a reminder of the visitor’s recent threat just before the break, with Simeon Akinola glancing a header wide of the post from a deftly delivered free-kick.
HALF-TIME: LEYTON ORIENT 0-0 SOUTHEND UNITED
And after the break it was Simeon Akinola who looked sharpest, reacting well to his own control, before firing on the half volley just wide of the Orient goal.
The O’s soon found themselves back in the driving seat after Conor Wilkinson’s quick feet won a free-kick 20 yards from goal, with captain Jobi McAnuff standing over it, ready to strike.
And strike he did, curling a powerful effort over the wall and into the top corner, giving Oxley no chance, and The O’s a 1-0 lead.
Soon after, Wilkinson had a chance of his own to bury a free-kick, and make a repeat of Orient’s set-piece joy against Bolton Wanderers – however this time, his effort flew over the bar.
For all of his hard work though, Wilkinson was soon to be rewarded – with Jobi McAnuff repaying the favour.
McAnuff slid Wilkinson through on goal, and although it seemed as if Oxley may beat him to the ball, Wilkinson was composed enough to dink it over the keeper, and secure the win.
From there, Orient controlled the game – and could have had a third when Angol headed into the net – but it had run out of play before the cross.
The whistle soon followed, and with it, a welcome three points for The O’s.
FULL-TIME: LEYTON ORIENT 2-0 SOUTHEND UNITED TEAMS
Leyton Orient: Vigouroux (GK), Ling, Cisse, Happe, McAnuff © (Kyprianou 85′), Clay (Dayton 90′), Wilkinson, Brophy, Akinola, Angol, Johnson (Sotiriou 90′).
Subs: Sargeant, Widdowson, Coulson, Maguire-Drew, Dayton, Sotiriou, Kyprianou.
Goals: McAnuff 53’, 79’ Wilkinson
Yellows: Angol, Johnson
Southend United: Oxley (GK), Bwomono, Hobson, Olayinka (Halford 79′) , Dieng, Akinola, Egbri, Nathaniel-George (Walsh 70′), Demetriou, Hart, White © (Taylor 70′)
Subs: Seaden, Howard, Phillips, Acquah, Taylor, Halford, Walsh.
