Leyton Orient recorded their ninth defeat at home losing Exeter City 1-0 at Brisbane Road marking their eighth successive home defeat in League Two.

Ollie Watkins scored the only goal of the game with the visitors defending well to gain the vital three points.

Orient’s only chance of the game came from Jay Simpson deep into the second half but he was denied by a goal-line clearance from Pierce Sweeney.

The O’s are only just above the relegation zone after Newport County slipped up at home to Wycombe Wanderers. 


Jay Simpson received the first chance of the game after Paul McCallum flicked the ball forward but Jordan Moore-Taylor got back and cleared the danger.

After a scramble in the O’s penalty area, it looked like Reuben Reid would muscle his way through but Robbie Weir and Callum Kennedy defended well for the ball to go out for a goal kick.

It took some great defending from Tom Parkes to prevent Exeter from scoring when he slid in to prevent David Wheeler from getting his shot away. 

But the deadlock was short-lived in the 26th minute The Grecians got the first goal through Watkins who tapped the ball home into the right-hand corner.

Orient had a huge chance to score when Simpson intercepted a pass back to Christy Pym but he couldn’t pick out Michael Collins in the middle.

Hunt almost scored the equaliser from a 22-yard free-kick but it narrowly went over the crossbar after Massey was brought down on the edge of the area.

Reid should have doubled the visitors lead twice in the first half the first when he headed wide from six-yards but the flag was up for offside.

Three minutes later the forward brought the ball down inside the area but Massey got back to block his shot.

Heading into added time for the first half  Collins did well to burst into the box but Moore-Taylor was able to scramble the ball behind for a corner.

Orient made two subs going into the second with Kennedy and Weir making way for Sandro Semedo and Alan Dunne.


Two minutes into the final 45 and McAlinden could have scored but Cisak made the vital save.

McCallum was subbed for Ollie Palmer and Orient received their best chance in the game in the 67th minute.

Atangana was denied twice by Pym before Simpson’s shot was deflected over the bar leaving the O’s fans in the Tommy Johnston stand bemused as to how it did not go in.

Reid, who caused all sorts of problems for the Orient defence all evening, once again could have made it two for The Grecians after he went beyond Parkes but Hunt got back to make the save.

Massey showed a neat bit of skill to pass Craig Woodman and delivered in a cross but nobody was home in the box to convert the chance.

Collins won a free kick into added time of the second but it was not to be as once again Exeter cleared the ball back into the Orient half.

Exter held on for the win and Orient are now just above the bottom two.

Orient starting XI: Cisak, Kennedy (Dunne 45), Parkes, Hunt, Judd, Weir (Semedo 45), Massey, Atangana, Collins, Simpson, McCallum (Palmer 58)

Subs not used: Sargeant, Pollock, Dalby, Ochieng