League Two: Leyton Orient 0 Accrington Stanley 1

Leyton Orient slumped to a second disappointing home defeat of the season after delivering a poor performance against Accrington Stanley.

The visitors went ahead in the first half and were well worth the three points in the end, giving their 139 fans travelling fans a happy trip back up north.

Although the east Londoners started the game well and came into the match on a three-match unbeaten run, they struggled to break down a disciplined away team.

Orient players left the field to boos at the full time whistle and this result sees them drop to seventh in the League Two standings.

Hendon named the same starting team from last weekend’s match at Morecambe, but Dean Cox was back on the substitute’s bench.

Blair Turgott was the man that missed out with Freddy Moncur retaining his place among the replacements.

The O’s got proceedings underway at Brisbane Road and made a decent start with Jay Simpson having an effort saved by Jason Mooney in the Stanley goal inside the opening two minutes.

Referee Graham Horwood had brought play back for a free kick to the hosts, however, but Sammy Moore’s set piece was cleared.

Orient maintained a good tempo, though, and the first five minutes were spent in the opposition’s half. Despite that, it was the away side that created the first opportunity of note when the O’s switched off at the back.

Piero Mingoia was allowed too much space out on the right by Adam Chicksen and he crossed into the box for Sean McConville. But the Stanley man side footed just past the post from close range.

Hendon’s men responded and should have taken the lead themselves in the 13th minute after a wonderful Jack Payne cross.

Payne’s ball into the box was won by Connor Essam and his header hit the crossbar before hitting Mooney in the Stanley goal.

It fell out to Ollie Palmer and Simpson, who both threw themselves towards the ball, but it was blocked by the away goalie and Dean Winnard deflected Essam’s volley wide for another corner.

The pressure continued from the O’s and Palmer’s knockdown found John Marquis inside the area, but his low volley was pushed wide with quarter of an hour played.

Marquis was involved again two minutes later but not for the right reasons as he picked up a caution for bringing down McConville.

Orient began to get sloppy after that and were giving the ball away cheaply as well as making unnecessary fouls.

Josh Windass, who had been in great form for Stanley this year and scored seven times prior to this match, went close from a free kick moments later as the visitors looked to get a foothold in the game.

Another chance came the way of the hosts with 24 minutes gone at Brisbane Road when Marquis beat his marker on the right and crossed into the box.

Bradley Pritchard was free at the front post, but didn’t get enough on his header and it glanced away from goal.

A minute later and the O’s were punished when Billy Kee’s pass beat the offside trap and Windass ran through, showed wonderful composure before slotted past Alex Cisak and finding the bottom corner.

Windass went close again shortly afterwards, firing wide from outside the box and the home fans were beginning to get restless with every loose pass met with groans.

Chants of ‘Deano, Deano’ rung out from the Orient supporters when Cox began to warm up and with just 34 minutes played, he was introduced.

Marquis was the man to make way and it was a great opportunity for the O’s talisman from the start of the season to get back in favour with Hendon after being dropped from the squad completely last week at Morecambe.

A break in play occurred almost immediately after Cox was brought on as Matty Crooks needed treatment following a collision in the centre of the park with team mate Matty Pearson. The Stanley midfielder received a big bang to the head but was able to carry on.

Cox had an opportunity to make his impact felt three minutes before the interval when the O’s were awarded a free kick following a poor challenge by Winnard on Moore.

The Stanley skipper received a booking for the foul, but from the resulting set piece, Cox’s delivery was cleared and it remained 1-0.

But on the stroke of half time, Orient should have got back on level terms with Cox prominent. He linked up with Pritchard before his dangerous ball into the area was tipped away by Mooney.

The hosts continued to attack and Moore got in on the right in space. He crossed into the box and Stanley’s Joe Wright completely missed the ball, but Palmer was caught on his heels.

If the Orient forward had anticipated the error, he would have had the simple task of tapping into the empty net.

Four minutes of stoppage time were added on at the end of the break and it was the visitors that had the best opportunity.

Seamus Conneely had an effort from outside the area which Cisak spilled and Crooks fired over the crossbar under pressure from Mathieu Baudry.

It was a good chance for Stanley and the half time whistle followed with Orient leaving the pitch to boos, just like they had the last time they were here against Oxford on October 17.

They began the second half brightly and should have been level after two minutes when Cox and Simpson linked up well.

Simpson played the ball through and Palmer did well to muscle himself in, but could only knock the ball wide as he was trying to sort his feet out.

He really should have done a lot better but Cox’s influence was growing as he made a fine tackle deep into the Stanley half to keep the O’s on the front foot.

Essam headed wide a corner from the Orient midfielder in the 52nd minute as the home side desperately looked to get back on level terms.

The visitors began to settle again, though, and were looking on top at Brisbane Road. They might have gone further ahead two minutes before the hour mark when Kee went through on goal, but his scuffed shot was saved by Cisak.

Lloyd James came on in place of Moore a minute later as Hendon tried to get his side into gear again, but the atmosphere inside Brisbane Road was only getting worst.

Orient’s final throw of the dice was Scott Kashket replacing Essam with 16 minutes remaining, but the hosts seemed void of ideas.

Cox dragged a shot wide with nine minutes remaining after Palmer had knocked down for him, but Stanley looked fairly comfortable.

Pritchard had a great chance to deliver a decent ball into the box two minutes later, but his centre went out for a goal kick and that summed up his and Orient’s afternoon.

Four minutes of stoppage time were added on, but the hosts couldn’t muster another chance and fell to an extremely disappointing defeat.

Leyton Orient: Cisak, Clohessy, Baudry, Essam (Kashket 76), Chicksen, Payne, Pritchard, Moore (James 59), Marquis (Cox 34), Simpson, Palmer.

Unused substitutes: Grainger, Shaw, Dunne, Moncur.

Accrington Stanley: Mooney, Pearson, Winnard, Mingoia, Windass (McCartan 85), McConville, Crooks, Wright, Conneely, Kee, Halliday.

Unused substitutes: Etheridge, Barry, Davies, Procter, Gornell, Wakefield.

Attendance: 4,701 (139 Accrington Stanley supporters).