National League: Macclesfield Town 1 Leyton Orient 1

Leyton Orient secured a respectable point on the road after holding National League leaders Macclesfield Town to a 1-1 draw at Moss Rose this afternoon.

The O’s went into the game off the back of three consecutive victories and although they couldn’t make it four in a row, they haven’t lost since March 13 now – a run of five games without a defeat.

Justin Edinburgh’s team started slowly at Macclesfield and the hosts took the lead after 17 minutes when a long ball wasn’t dealt with and Danny Whitaker controlled and poked home from outside the area.

The Silkmen pushed for a second, but O’s slowly grew into the contest and levelled in the 42nd minute.

George Elokobi and Sam Ling both failed to connect with a Jobi McAnuff corner, but Josh Koroma reacted quickest and set himself before drilling home from eight-yards to score for consecutive games.

It remained 1-1 at half time and it was Orient who began the second period strongly with Koroma looking a constant threat.

The teenager was forced off just past the hour mark though, after suffering a leg injury and so David Mooney replaced him.

The enforced change didn’t affect O’s momentum, however, as the visitors continued to push for a second and nearly grabbed it in the 88th minute when McAnuff saw an effort fly just over the crossbar.

If that seemed close, the next opportunity for Orient less than 60 seconds later was an even better chance.

Bonne latched onto a loose ball, but saw his shot blocked by a Silkmen defender before he managed to pass into Mooney’s path with Shwan Jalal now out of his goal.

With the goal at his mercy, Mooney let fly from a couple of yards out, but home defender David Fitzpatrick produced a stunning block to deflect the ball wide.

It proved to be the final opportunity of an equal contest with O’s perhaps feeling they might have won the game given their strong second half display.

Nevertheless, it is another point to their total and continues their momentum ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Hartlepool United.

Leyton Orient: Brill; Ling, Ekpiteta, Elokobi, Widdowson; McAnuff, Adams, Clay, Brophy; Koroma (Mooney 62), Bonne.

Unused substitutes: Grainger, Lawless, Judd, Happe.

Attendance: 3,110 (223 Leyton Orient supporters).