Goals at either end of the match, saw Harrogate Town slip to defeat in an excellent game in the Brisbane Road sunshine.
Simon Weaver made six changes to the Town line up after last weeks defeat to Boreham Wood.Ryan Fallowfield,Jack Senior,Mark Beck,Jack Emmett,Lloyd Kerry and Jordan Thewlis, all returned for the Wetherby Roaders.
Orient started like the proverbial,house on fire,with Liam Kitching having to concede a corner after a first minute clearance rebounded back into Town’s penalty area.
A quick ball was played to Jobi McAnuff and his cross was back headed past James Belfield by Josh Coulson, to give the O’s the lead after a mere two minutes.
To their credit, Town hit back strongly and Kitching headed wide from a Josh Falkingham corner before Beck and Thewlis combined to set up a shooting chance for Emmett, who shot across goal.
Jack Senior, who had been given a torrid time by James Brophy,managed to break down the left wing and find the head of Beck, but his header went straight into the arms of Dean Brill in the O’s goal.
After twenty minutes, Macauley Bonne had the ball in Town’s net from close range, but he was clearly offside.
Both sides had late chances in the half,with McAnuff blazing a free kick over the bar,after a Falkingham foul on Bonne,while at the other end Thewlis forced Brill into a diving save to prevent Town equalising.
The first significant action after the break came on the hour, when Thewlis sprung the offside trap and rounded Brill,only to see his shot come back off the post.
Orient’s manager,Justin Edinburgh,replaced Maguire-Drew with the dangerous, Matt Harrald and the move almost reaped quick dividends when he headed a Brophy cross just wide.
Marvin Ekpiteta forced a point blank save from Belshaw and Koroma shot over as Orient pushed for a second goal,but with three minutes of normal time left, Thewlis had a golden chance to level.
He outpaced the O’s defence on the right flank, rounded Brill,but somehow Coulson got back to hook his goalbound shot off the line.
As the game entered the second minute of stoppage time,Harrald made it safe for the hosts,when he outjumped Kitching to head home a Brophy corner at the far post.
Town entertain Gateshead on Easter Monday in a game that they really need to win to almost ensure a play-off place.
Leyton Orient 2 Harrogate Town 0 Att.6665 (160 away).
Town, Belshaw,Fallowffield,Senior(Leesley 81),Falkingham,Howe,Burrell,Emmett(Muldoon 74),Beck(Knowles 79),Thewlis,Kerry,Kitching.
Unused subs,Thomson,Cracknell.
Booked, Falkingham,Howe,Thewlis Att.6665 (160 away)
Leyton Orient, Brill,Widdowson,Coulson,McAnuff,Clay,Bonne,Maguire-Drew(Harrald 64),Hope,Brophy,Koroma(Turley 77),Ekpiteta.
Unused subs,Sargeant,Lee,Simpson
Scorers,Coulson2,Harrald 90+2
Booked Happe,Clay.
Referee M Edwards
By John Harrison.
