Leyton Orient 2 Morecambe 0: Shrimps undone by two late O’s strikes

Morecambe suffered their first defeat in five League Two games as two late goals gave Orient victory.
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In their first league game since Boxing Day the Shrimps looked set to be leaving East London with at least a point from the game against side just behind them in the league table but two late goals gave Orient the points.

There was more than a bit of misfortune for the Shrimps as Orient’s opener two minutes from time came from the most unfortunate of own goals from Nathaniel Knight-Percival, who tried to clear Tunji Akinola’s right-wing cross but could only flick the ball into his own goal.

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To make matters worse the O’s added a second two minutes into injury time.

Nathaniel Knight-Percival (right) with Orient’s Lee Angol (photo: Getty Images)Nathaniel Knight-Percival (right) with Orient’s Lee Angol (photo: Getty Images)
Nathaniel Knight-Percival (right) with Orient’s Lee Angol (photo: Getty Images)

As the Shrimps pushed forward in search of an equaliser they were undone again as Jobi McAnuff was given space in the box to look up and cross for Lee Angol to score at the near post and give the home side a flattering victory.

Boss Derek Adams made two changes from the side that lost at Chelsea in the FA Cup with Knight-Percival coming in for Harry Davis, and John O’Sullivan returning to the starting line up in place of Jordan Slew.

The game started with Orient defender Dan Happe firing well wide before Morecambe looked to hit the home side on the break with Adam Phillips forcing Laurence Vigoroux into a good save low to his right with a well struck shot from 25 yards.

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Aaron Wildig then tried to beat the keeper with an audacious lob from 40 yards before the home side forced several half-chances.

Conor Wilkinson saw a header easily saved by Mark Halstead before Orient midfielder Craig Clay came to the fore, firing an effort over on the half-volley and forcing the Morecambe keeper into a smart save with a low right-foot shot from the edge of the box.

Clay went close again with a shot that was deflected just wide before Halstead was called into action by Happe’s header.

The Shrimps ended the half on top with Phillips playing in Carlos Mendes-Gomes with a superb defence splitting pass but the keeper reacted well to save the midfielder’s attempted chip.

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The second half followed a similar pattern with the Shrimps happy to allow Orient possession and hit them on the counter.

It almost worked early after the restart when Yann Song’o was played in on goal but drilled his left-foot shot wide of the target.

Song’o was then presented with another good opportunity when a right-wing corner was headed back across goal for the unmarked midfielder, but he could only direct a header straight at Vigoroux from a great opening.

For all Orient’s possession without top scorer Danny Johnson they rarely looked a threat and it came was something of a shock when they took the lead in the 88th minute.

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Home defender Tunji Akinola delivered a cross from the right hand side that flicked off Knight-Percival’s head and past Halstead, with Angol adding a cruel second in added time.

Leyton O: Vigoroux, Ling, Akinola, Happe, Brophy, Cisse (Kyprianou 57), McAnuff, Clay, Wilkinson, Sotiriou (Kemp 63), Angol. Subs (not used): Sergeant, Widdowson, Coulson, Dayton, Dennis

Morecambe: Halstead, Cooney, Lavelle, Knight-Percival, Hendrie, Songo’o, Wildig, O’Sullivan 
(Lyons 73), Phillips (Slew 90), Mendes-Gomes (McAlinden 90), Stockton (Diagouraga 78). Subs (not used): Mellor, Da Silva Mendes, Kenyon

Referee: B Huxtable