Justin Edinburgh praised his side’s determination after Leyton Orient soared to the top of the National League thanks to a 3-0 win over surprise packages Harrogate Town.

In a match which saw the two remaining unbeaten teams in the division lock horns, it was the O’s who came out on top and they made a real statement of intent, as a brace from Jobi McAnuff as well as a strike from Macauley Bonne handed the East London side a dominant win.

Edinburgh named an unchanged side for the eighth game running but it was Simon Weaver’s Harrogate who started quickly, with McAnuff having to be alert to block George Thompson’s effort on the turn.

McAnuff would then send a free-kick from 20-yards over the bar but the O’s wouldn’t have to wait long for the opener which came in the 23rd minute.

The East London side had referee Marc Edwards to thank, with the man in the middle playing an excellent advantage after James Dayton was fouled, allowing Charlie Lee to break forward with the ball. Lee then played in Bonne and the O’s top scorer made no mistake, calmly slotting home his sixth goal of the season to hand Orient the lead.

Koroma almost doubled their advantage moments later when he volleyed inches wide at the far post, but the O’s youngster would play an influential role in Orient’s second, which arrived ten minutes before half time.

The 19-year-old did excellently to weave his way into the box before forcing a save from James Belshaw, but McAnuff was quickest to react to the rebound as he turned home from close range to put the East London side in dreamland.

Having scored the first, Bonne would then be influential down the other end, as he was on hand to clear Liam Kitching’s goal-bound header off the line following a corner.

Brill then pulled off a fantastic save to maintain Orient’s two goal advantage on the stroke of half-time to tip Kelvin Langmead’s effort around the post and the experienced stopper was at it again following the re-start to deny the Harrogate man once again.

Having come close at the start of the second half, McAnuff would effectively wrap up the three points with just over twenty minutes remaining, as he calmly dispatched Koroma’s cut-back to score his second of the game.

Koroma then came close to adding his name to the scoresheet, but fired wide when through on goal, before Brill made two excellent saves in the final ten minutes to preserve his clean sheet.

Substitute James Alabi almost made it four deep into added time but his low effort was well-saved by Belshaw but in the end, it was a deserved win for the O’s, who moved one point clear at the top of the table.

Speaking to Leyton Orient’s website, head coach Edinburgh said: “I thought from start to finish we were in control. It was a tough encounter and we knew it would be. But again credit to the players as they carried out things that were asked to perfection today.

“I thought we got about them. I believe we needed to impose ourselves and we also had to be respectful, which we certainly were as well. But we are in a really good run ourselves and have great confidence and excellent players.

“The players are determined to work extremely hard for one another and I thought from start to finish today that we were relentless throughout.”

Harrogate: Belshaw (GK), Burrell, Howe, Langmead, Kitching, Falkingham, Kerry, Thomson, Muldoon, Beck (Williams 71), Knowles.

Subs (Not used): Cracknell, Parker, Agnew, Sutton.

Bookings: Kitching (24). 

Leyton Orient: Brill (GK), Judd, Coulson, Ekpiteta, Widdowson, McAnuff ©, Lee, Clay (Gorman 89), Dayton, Koroma (Alabi 74), Bonne (Harrold 90+1).

Subs (Not used): Sargeant (GK), Happe.

Bookings: Dayton (17), Koroma (45), Judd (60).

Referee: Marc Edwards.

Attendance: 2,584.