Leyton Orient 0-1 Fleetwood Town
Fleetwood Town picked up their second away win on the bounce with a hard fought three points against Leyton Orient in East London.Gareth Evans gave the Cod Army the lead only 17 seconds into the second period, when he slotted beyond Gary Woods in the home goal to seal a deserved first victory of 2015.
Victory at the Matchroom Stadium ensured Town kept the pressure on their nearest rivals after a good run of form as of late.
Manager Graham Alexander named an unchanged side to the team that drew at home to Swindon Town last weekend.
The game began in a scrappy manner with much of the play in midfield, and neither side able to break each other down.
Stephen Dobbie was an early threat however and twice got in behind the Orient defence but failed to find a teammate in yellow in the box.
Town grew in confidence and started to force the initiative, with Gareth Evans’ shot from outside of the box going wide, before Jamie Proctor’s overhead kick was cleared.
Chances kept coming for Fleetwood, and Dobbie’s looping effort at the back post hit the crossbar after 20 minutes.
Orient’s first real attempt of the game came courtesy of Chris Dagnall, when he played a neat one-two with Romain Vincelot before drawing a smart stop out of Chris Maxwell.
Josh Wright then went close to opening the scoring when his half volley from distance flew just over the bar.
In response, Dobbie crashed a low strike wide of the post, and Stephen Crainey’s free kick was punched away by Woods.
At the end of the half, Proctor was played through on goal but couldn’t get the better of Woods, while Dagnall’s strike went inches past Maxwell’s far post.
It took Town only 17 seconds to take the lead at the start of the second period, as Evans latched onto Proctor’s knock down, and coolly slotted home.
Fabio Liverani’s side pressed for an equaliser, and could have been level had David Mooney struck with more conviction at Maxwell from close range.
The game became an open affair for much of the second half, with Alexander’s men looking a threat every time they attacked.
Orient introduced experienced frontman Kevin Lisbie to the fray on the hour mark, as they pushed for an equaliser.
And they were nearly level when Mooney’s dipping volley from the edge of the box crashed just over Maxwell’s goal.
Pressure continued to mount on the visiting goal, and Lisbie was guilty of squandering a great chance when he scooped over the bar from inside the six yard box.
Fleetwood defended heroically as a team though, and held on for an important three points in the capital.