Leyton Orient weather late storm from Billericay Town

Leyton Orient squeeze past Bostik Premier Division big boys Billericay Town 2-1 despite late charge from the hosts.

A goal a piece from striker Macauley Bonne and right-back Jake Caprice inspire the side to victory in the close encounter.

The O’s got off to a good start and inside the opening five minutes found themselves with a free-kick in a threatening position, after striker Macauley Bonne was pulled down by Rob Swaine.

Jobi McAnuff failed to deliver anything from the free-kick.

It wasn’t long before Orient broke the deadlock with Bonne heading home a cross from Jake Caprice, who was picked out Romuld Boco creeping in behind the Billericay defence to make it 1-0.

The young striker continued to cause chaos as he once again got his head on a Joe Widdowson cross in the ninth minute.

Two minutes later David Mooney had a golden chance to double the lead for the O’s, but fired over from inside the area, after being teed up by Bonne.

Billericay began to change the momentum, but in the nineteenth minute it was Orient with another chance, as Boco whipped in a brilliant cross that was cleared for a corner by the hosts Joe Ellul.

Eight minutes later Orient were once again on the score sheet, when Caprice slotted home his shot off the post and into the top left corner, after playing a marvellous one-two with Boco.

Widdowson was booked two minutes later for pulling back the hosts new-signing Jermaine Pennant as he pushed forward.

In the thirty seventh minute goalkeeper Charlie Grainger was called into action, as he dove across his net to push Pennant’s free-kick behind a corner.

The Bostik Premier Division kept pushing and it paid dividends as midfielder Sam Deering pulled one back as he headed home a Pennant cross from close range to make it 2-1.

A minute before half-time Craig Clay was brought down by a hard challenge from Rob Davies, who received a yellow card in the process.

Two minutes into the second half Clay has a dig from 25-yards but his low strike goes just wide of the post.

Just after fifty minutes played youngster Grainger came up trumps with a string of vital saves to keep his side in the lead.

The keeper got low and tipped wide a spectacular volley from Deering from close range, before holding onto a Ellul header from an incoming corner, just a minute later.

Ten minutes later the shot stopper was called upon again as he deflected wide another effort from Deering inside the box.

In the sixty fourth minute Bonne almost slotted home his second of the afternoon, but was denied by a last-ditch challenge inside the box.

Two minutes later Mooney is brought down by Ellul as he charged forward.

The defender picked up a yellow and the O’s McAnuff free-kick was pushed over the bar for a corner from the edge of the box.

Billericay’s Jake Robinson sees his header beat the dive of Grainger, but not the post in the seventy second minute.

The O’s Trialist B hits the woodwork with his free-kick, as he clips the post and goes wide of the goal eleven minutes from time.

McAnuff is denied as he runs in on goal by defender Josh Urquhart inside the box a minute later.

Orient come close with seven minutes left in the match as Elokobi is denied by a teammate as his shot hits Mooney on the line.

The final five minutes saw Orient weather the storm from the hosts, as they pushed forward and looked for a late equaliser, with substitute Jake Robinson being denied twice late on.

Orient: Grainger, Caprice, Coulson, Elokobi, Widdowson, Lawless, Clay, Boco (Trialist B 62), McAnuff, Mooney, Bonne

Billericay: Julian, Payne (Urquhart 45), Konchesky, Ellul, Swaine, Deering (Cunnington 76), Davies, Bricknell (Robinson 62), Theophanus (Walker 74), Chambers, Pennant.