It was the same old story for Leyton Orient after a more energetic performance saw them lose 1-0 to Morecambe at Brisbane Road.

Paul Mullin’s scored the only goal of the game with a spectacular shot from outside the penalty area with Sam Sargeant having no chance of making the save.

The O’s will certainly feel frustrated after they were the better of the two in the first 45 minutes.

Orient will have to put this match to the back of their mind when the take on Yeovil Town away on Saturday as they look to gain their first points in 2017.

Orient had the first chance of the game when Gavin Massey’s low cross found its way to Nigel Atangana but the Frenchman’s first touch was too heavy and the ball ran through to Barry Roche.

Morecambe, however, had a great opportunity of their own when a cross dropped to Kevin Ellison at the far post and the winger took a first-time shot which was blocked by Myles Judd.

The visitors gained a free-kick after Yvan Erichot brought down a Shrimps player and Paul Mullin meets Michael Rose’s cross but he was under pressure from Judd and his effort ended up on the roof.

With 25 minutes gone neither side had managed to break the deadlock but Erichot played a wonderful ball and Sandro Semedo delivered in a low cross which was turned behind for a corner.

Michael Collins played it short to Massey who went for the goal just outside the penalty area but he fired the ball well over the crossbar.

The Shrimps thought they had scored but Peter Murphy kicked the ball out of Sargeant’s hands and referee John Brooks correctly called the foul.

And the O’s will feel aggrieved after some good chances were saved and spurned. First Massey’s shot was turned behind by Roche for a corner.

Then the ensuing corner dropped to Tom Parkes but he drilled his chance on the wrong side of the post.

Orient managed to win another corner in quick succession but this time Semedo’s corner was dropped by Roche but Dalby was unable to prod the ball home as the keeper recovered.

The Shrimps went straight down the other end but Sargeant was able to hold Mullin’s impending header.

And three minutes later, Aaron Wildig pulled the ball back to Ellison who charged up a shot but it was blocked well by Erichot.

The O’s once again went agonisingly close when Massey brilliantly got behind his man and fizzed the ball across the goal but Victor Adeboyejo could not meet the ball to tap it goalwards.

In the second half, it was the visitors who managed to get the first shot when Wildig headed over from the penalty spot but Sargeant also had it covered.

Morecambe gained another free-kick where Erichot gave away the foul but Lee Molyneux blazed his free-kick over the bar.

Ten minutes into the second–half, Semedo controlled a Judd cross on the edge of the area but he could only see his shot saved by Roche.

And the youngster Sargeant made a spectacular stop in the 63rd minute with his feet after Ellison was played in one-on-one and should have put it into the back of the net.

Orient had another chance down the other end when Judd and Massey combined well but the latter’s cross was cleared by Ryan Edwards.

Parkes had another go minutes later to try and break the deadlock from a corner but he headed well over the bar.

Substitute Rhys Turner was not tracked and he found space in the area but he poked Mullins’ cross over the bar.

The Shrimps then gained another chance when Turner crossed in for Wildig who looked certain to score before Judd slide into brilliantly to clear for a corner which came to nothing.

However, it took a wonder goal from Mullin to find the back of the net when he let fly outside and smashed the ball into the top corner.

Morecambe began to shut up shop after their goal and in the dying minutes of the game Rowan Liburd tried to gain the equaliser but could only manage to head wide from a Nicky Hunt cross.

Liam Kelly made his first appearance since his injury back in November in what will look like a new signing for the E10 club.

Morecambe have now gone five games unbeaten and are 10 points clear of the drop zone with the O’s still in the relegation spots.

Orient starting XI: Sargeant, Parkes, Hunt, Erichot, Judd, Collins (Koroma 90), Atangana, Semedo, Massey, Dalby (Liburd 77), Adeboyejo (Kelly 90)

Subs not used: Grainger, Moore, Mezague, Clark

The Shrimpers starting XI: Roche, Edwards, Winnard, Mullin (McGowan 81), Murphy, Molyneux (Turner 65), Ellison, Wildig, Whitmore, Duckworth, Rose (Kenyon 75) Subs not used: Nizic, Wakefield, Conlan, Evans