Leyton Orient drop points at Mansfield

Boss Kenny Jackett made five changes from the midweek defeat to Newport County, bringing in Paul Smyth, Ruel Sotiriou, Dan Happe, whilst Theo Archibald made a long awaited return from a foot injury.

Ethan Coleman also made his debut for Orient, starting alongside Smyth and Jordan Brown in the heart of the midfield.

Due to the gale force winds of Storm Malik at the One Call Stadium, the game was always going to have its unpredictable moments, with the conditions playing a big part in the fixture.

Jordan Brown, starting his second game for the club after signing from Derby County, did superbly well on four minutes to clear George Maris’ cross, which was heading into the corridor of uncertainty behind the O’s number 32.

The hosts had a point blank chance to take the lead in the eighth minute, when John-Joe O’Toole could only direct the ball into the palms of Lawrence Vigouroux from around three yards out. If O’Toole had made a sweeter connection with Stephen McLaughlin’s inswinging corner then the games first goal would have been an inevitability.

Mansfield, looking for a club record eighth league win in a row, did have the better of the opening stages, with Ollie Clarke testing Vigouroux from outside the area on the 14 minute mark, it was however, a comfortable save for the O’s Chilean goalkeeper.

The O’s first half chance of the encounter came on the 20 minute mark, when Brown’s sweetly connected half volley sailed over Nathan Bishop’s crossbar after Paul Smyth’s long throw had got caught in the swirling wind.

Theo Archibald, back in the Orient squad after a sustained period on the sidelines, put a delicious ball into the box midway through the first half. The ball was destined to be touched in by an Orient player, but O’Toole did well to get his body in the way of the ball.

Rhys Oates had two chances in the space of two minutes near the thirty minute mark. Firstly, he was denied well by Vigouroux, who got down well to deflect the ball away, and minutes later he tried his luck from around thirty yards, but his ambitious strike sailed well wide of the target.

The O’s best chance of the first half came on 39 minutes. Ruel Sotiriou was played in calmy by Ethan Coleman, and the Cypriot U21 international shook off O’Toole, to create space for a shot, but his effort ultimately drifted wide of the target.

The first goal of the match came in the 43rd minute. Former Orient man Jordan Bowery seemingly controlled Oates’ through ball with his arm, and then finished past Vigouroux. Despite the linesman having a clear view of the incident, the goal was given.

The perplexed Orient players protested the awarding of the goal, and after a consultation with the linesman, the call was upheld and the O’s were cruelly 1-0 down just minutes before the interval.

Half Time – Mansfield Town 1-0 Leyton Orient

At half time, Paul Smyth, injured by a foul from Elliott Hewitt, minutes before the half time break, was replaced by Matt Young.

The hosts kept the ball well in the second period, and Orient initially struggled to get back into the game, following the questionable opener from the hosts. Momentum was firmly with the home side at this point.

On 63 minutes, the O’s made a double change, with Aaron Drinan and Hector Kyprianou replacing Sotiriou and Brown, looking to wrestle momentum back away from the Stags.

However, on 72 minutes, the hosts put the game to bed. Following McGlaughlin’s corner, the ball fell to Ollie Clarke on the edge of the Orient box, and his sweet half volley flew past Vigouroux for the second goal for the hosts.

The O’s did look to bounce back straight away though, when Hector Kyprianou played through fellow substitute Aaron Drinan, who hit the post from an acute angle.

The woodwork was rattled again on the 77th minute, when Dan Happe’s header was cleared off the line, Drinan followed the rebound in, but this time his effort deflected back off the crossbar.

That was the last real action of the encounter, and it was a defeat for the O’s in Nottinghamshire. Orient will now travel to Bradford on Tuesday night, desperately hoping for a change in fortunes.

Orient XI –

Vigouroux, Happe, Smyth (Young, 46’), Smith, Archibald, Khan, Mitchell, Beckles, Sotiriou (Drinan 64’), Brown (Kyprianou, 64’), Coleman.

Subs not used –

Sargeant, Thompson, Kemp, Moss.

Yellow Cards –

Smith, 45’, Beckles, 46’, Archibald, 53’.

Mansfield XI –

Bishop, McLaughlin, Hewitt, Clarke, Bowery, Maris (Wallace, 92’), Hawkins, Quinn (Perch, 90’), Oates (Akins, 81’), Stirk, O’Toole.

Goals –

Bowery, 43’, Clarke, 72’.

Yellow Cards –

Hewitt, 41’.