National League: Dover Athletic 1 Leyton Orient 0

Leyton Orient’s six game unbeaten run was brought to an end by a wonder striker from Mitch Pinnock who inspired Dover Athletic to a 1-0 victory.

The O’s put in a dominant performance but fell short at the Crabble Athetic Ground but the club remain 16th in the National League as there match was the only one across the division due to the weather conditions.

Manager Justin Edinburgh made three changes from the side that drew 3-3 with Gateshead in the FA Trophy with Dan Holman returning to the staring line-up, Sam Ling and Lamar Reynolds being handed starts in place Dan Happe who misses out through illness, while James Brophy and Matt Harrold dropped to the bench.

Dover boss Chris Kinnear made two changes to his starting eleven with Nortei Nortey and Kevin Lokko coming in for Liam Bellamy and Manny Parry, who both dropped to the bench.

Early half-chance for the hosts as a free-kick was headed towards the goal, but Ebou Adams was there to sweep it up and clear in the second minute.

The hosts charged forward again in the ninth minute when Ryan Bird broke down the left flank after a long range clearance, the attacker picked out Adebayo Azeez, who tried to turn and shoot but Sam Ling deflected it out for a corner.

Five minutes later the visitors earnt themselves a free-kick on the edge of Dover’s area, as Giancarlo Gllifuoco held back striker Dan Holman.

Koroma stepped up and curled the free-kick over the wall and forced keeper Mitch Walker to get his hand to the ball.

The O’s won a corner, which Koroma whipped into the box and found midfielder Craig Clay but the hosts Nortey managed to deflect it over the bar in the 17th minute.

Dover counter attacked but Adams raced back and won the ball, played it forward to Koroma, who made a great run into the box but failed to get an attempt off.

The hosts almost found their break as Adams clearance hit their skipper Mitch Brundle and pinged forward to Bird who looked clear through on goal but a great last ditch challenge by Joe Widdowson stopped him in his tracks.

It was Dean Brill who was the hero for the visitors nine minutes later as he held onto a cannon of a shot from Azeez.

Three minutes later the visitors Koroma curled in a free-kick and found striker Macauley Bonne whose header was denied by keeper Walker and Bonne soon had another change in the 37th minute when he tried to lob the keeper but sent it miles over the crossbar.

A minute before the break Azeez fired the ball out of the ground from inside the box.

First chance of the half fell to Dover’s captain Brundle but it was comfortably saved by Brill two minutes into the second half.

A collision in the middle of the park in the 49th minute as Dover’s Josh Passley and Orient’s Lamar Reynolds and Adam all go down and all three had to go off briefly for treatment.

The free-kick was taken by Pinnock who launched the ball in and Gallifuoco headed towards goal but his shot was saved.

O’s striker Holman controlled the ball, turned and fired towards the bottom left corner, and it just went past the post in the 56th minute.

Midfielder Clay fired well wide and into the stand before they pressed forward again with Koroma putting Caprice through on the right, but the full-back sent his shot over the stand.

The referee gave a foul on the edge of the box for a Caprice foul, despite the full-back appearing to win the ball in the 60th minute.

The free-kick was blocked by the wall and it found its way to Nortey on the edge of the box and his shot cannoned off the post.

Orient’s Koroma was fouled and awarded a free-kick, he then curled the free-kick round the wall and keeper Walker had to tip it clear for a corner in the 71st minute.

The visitors desperately looking to break deadlock and almost did in the 72nd minute when Caprice found Holman but Walker denied the striker, Reynolds then fired a shot, which hit the post before a third attempt from Adams was blocked.

Eight minutes from time Pinnock was released down the left and scored an absolute beauty as he drove the ball into the top right with the edge of his boot to seal the victory for his side.

Dover Athletic: Walker, Passley (Okosieme 55), Ilesanmi, Gallifuoco, Essam, Brundle, Pinnock, Bird (Parry 90), Nortey (Bellamy 70), Lokko, Azeez.

Unused subs: Jeffrey and Daniel.

Leyton Orient: Brill, Caprice (Harrold 86), Coulson, Widdowson, Ling (Brophy 65), Clay, Adams, Reynolds (Ekpitera 78), Koroma, Holman, Bonne.

Unused subs: Grainger and Lawless.