Leyton Orient’s character was on full show at York Road, as the O’s bounced back from last week’s defeat to Sutton United in style by comfortably beating Maidenhead United 2-0.

Goals from Macauley Bonne and James Alabi secured the O’s all three points, keeping them just one point behind National League leaders Salford City in second place.

Bonne notched his tenth of the season in the eleventh minute when he was left all alone in the Maidenhead penalty area, allowing him to power home Jobi McAnuff’s cross to hand the O’s the lead.

Alabi had caused Maidenhead problems in the first half with his pace and he doubled Orient’s advantage on the half-hour mark, as he picked up the ball following good work from James Dayton and McAnuff, before sending a low effort into the bottom corner.

The East London side were relatively comfortable after notching that second, with Maidenhead causing them few problems at the back, and they almost made it three five minutes from time when substitute James Brophy was brilliantly denied by Carl Pentney.

Head coach Justin Edinburgh was forced to make one change to his starting line-up for the first time in 11 games, with Alabi replacing Josh Koroma, who missed out due to a knee injury, up front. That news meant there was also one change on the bench, with Matt Harrold returning to the Orient match-day squad.

Fresh from their defeat to Salford City last week, Maidenhead boss Alan Devonshire made four changes for the visit of Orient, with James Akintunde, Alan Massey, Ryan Bird and Chinua Cola all coming into the side.

Playing in their yellow away kit, Orient started brightly and Alabi charged through after reading Bonne’s header and O’s fans wanted a penalty when he took a tumble inside the area. Craig Clay was first to the loose ball but instead of taking a shot, he took a touch and tried to play in Alabi, but the striker was offside.

Maidenhead responded and Josh Coulson had to be alert to clear the ball for a corner following an intelligent run from Josh Kelly. The delivery was swung in, but Remy Clerima directed his header comfortably wide of the target.

The O’s responded, though, and a good spell of possession following Joe Widdowson’s throw in released Bonne down the left, whose cut-back was met by Clay on the edge of the area and the midfielder’s driven effort flew wide courtesy of a deflection.

From the resultant passage of play, the O’s would take the lead when McAnuff kept the ball alive after Orient’s corner was partially cleared and he crossed for Bonne to plant a header past Carl Pentney to hand Edinburgh’s side the lead.

Orient almost shot themselves in the foot following the re-start as a risky back pass was nearly intercepted by Bird, but fortunately, Dean Brill managed to scramble the ball clear.

The O’s were looking threatening on the break and they almost doubled their advantage just after the 15 minute mark when Alabi showed good pace to break clear of Maidenhead’s backline, but his low effort across goal went just wide of the post.

Despite looking promising on the break, Edinburgh’s side looked nervous defensively and a calamitous mix-up involving Myles Judd and Brill left Orient’s net unguarded, but a great tackle from Ekpiteta denied Bird from having a tap-in.

Orient continued to look promising on the break, with Alabi’s pace particularly causing Maidenhead’s back-line problems and the striker wouldn’t have to wait long to get his name on the score-sheet.

Following a nasty tackle on Charlie Lee by Harold Odametey mid-way inside the Orient own half, Brill took the resultant free-kick which found Dayton out on the right. He drifted in and his attempted through ball found McAnuff inside the area, whose lay off fell kindly for Alabi, who took a touch, before sending a low effort into the bottom corner to double Orient’s advantage on the half-hour mark.

Maidenhead were calling for a penalty soon after when Akintunde went down after going shoulder to shoulder with Widdowson, but referee Declan Bourne waved away the protests.

Having opened the scoring for Orient early on, Bonne would have another sight of goal five minutes before the break, but his scooped effort from Dayton’s cut-back went comfortably over the bar.

Two minutes of additional time were signalled by the fourth official and Orient’s comfortable lead was almost halved with the last kick of the first half, when Kelly picked up the ball in space 25 yards out, who curled a lovely effort which flew a whisker wide of the top corner.

Within a minute of the re-start it was almost three for the O’s as Pentney failed to collect Lee’s long throw and McAnuff’s scooped effort from the edge of the area was just palmed over the bar by the retreating Maidenhead goalkeeper. McAnuff’s resultant corner was met by Coulson at the far post, but his header was straight at the Maidenhead ‘keeper.

Down the other end, Max Worsfold worked his way free from Judd down the right and his cross found Akintunde, who fired wide under pressure from Widdowson. Chinua Cole was the next to have a pop for Maidenhead, but his deflected attempt was comfortable for Brill.

Despite those chances, the O’s remained on the front foot and Judd did well to intercept the ball on the centre circle to kick start a counter-attack. His pass found Dayton, who played a lovely one-two with Clay before releasing McAnuff down the left, who cut in but his low effort was tame, allowing Pentney to collect with ease.

Former Waltham Forest man Adrian Clifton replaced Worsfold for Maidenhead in the 67th minute and Edinburgh responded with his first substitution moments later, with Brophy coming on for Dayton.

Both teams then made their second changes soon after with Helson Alves replacing Bird for Maidenhead, while Dale Gorman, fresh from receiving a call up for Northern Ireland’s Under-21s, coming on for Lee.

The final changes for both sides swiftly followed, with on loan Bury man Jordan Archer coming on for Maidenhead, while for the O’s, goal-scorer Alabi made way for Harrold for the final 10 minutes.

Orient had been in cruise control in the second half if truth be told and that was further highlighted when Brill was forced into his first meaningful save in the 82nd minute, when he had to get down low to deny Alves’ effort from 25 yards.

But the O’s almost added further gloss to the score-line two minutes later when Bonne and Brophy linked up brilliantly down the left, allowing the latter to burst into the box, but Pentney came out quickly to deny the former Swindon Town man’s attempted chip.

Five minutes of added time were signalled by the referee and Brill had to be alert to deny Archer’s header and Alves’ powerful effort from inside the penalty area to preserve Orient’s clean sheet.

But this result was a further sign of the O’s character and they silenced their critics by reacting to last week’s defeat in perfect style, to secure a valuable three points.

Maidenhead: Pentney (GK), Clerima, Obileye, Massey ©, Chinua, Akintunde (Archer, 77), Comley, Odametey, Worsfold (Clifton, 67), Bird (Alves, 73), Kelly.

Subs (Not used): Smith, Mulley.

Bookings: Comley (70).

Leyton Orient: Brill (GK), Judd, Ekpiteta, Coulson, Widdowson, Dayton (Brophy, 70), Lee (Gorman, 75), Clay, McAnuff ©, Bonne, Alabi.

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

Bookings: Clay (51)

Attendance – 2,016.

Referee – Declan Bourne.