The O’s had to battle hard for a place in the Quarter Final of the FA Trophy as Jamie Turley’s header was enough to see the London side through with a 1-0 victory.
It was a gallant performance from the visitors, Blyth Spartans, with the 289 away supporters making plenty of noise throughout the game.
Both sides came into this encounter after contrasting league results. The hosts were 3-0 victors over Maidstone United last time out, with the visitors having their 14-game unbeaten run ended by Hereford United after a 3-2 home defeat.
Buoyant Blyth
Orient got the game underway on a bitterly cold February afternoon in E10. Both sides looked confident in the early stages, with Jordan Maguire-Drew drilling a low effort into the hands of Spartans’ goalkeeper Peter Jameson.
Jamie Turley was then caught in possession for the O’s, Daniel Maguire chased the ball down for Blyth, but Dean Brill quickly sprinted off his line to recover the situation.
Blyth then came forward again and Maguire had another chance with his effort being blocked by Turley. James Alabi was next to try his luck with his curling effort being held comfortably by Jameson.
Drew Danger
Alex Lawless then fizzed in a stinging effort which Jameson had to get down low to his right to beat away, his first real save of the game.
Soon, Jameson was called into action again with another Maguire-Drew shot drilled straight at him.
Maguire-Drew was having a growing influence on the game, dancing between two defenders before testing Jameson again.
Minutes later, the ball fell to Alabi who from no more than four yards out, glanced a free header wide when he ought to have done better.
Both sides went into the break after an even opening 45 minutes with Maguire and Maguire-Drew proving the two standout players in the first half.
Young Blood
Blyth started the second half in the same vein as the first, very much on the front foot and taking the game to the O’s, who made a change within five minutes of the restart.
Jayden Sweeney was replaced by Shadrach Ogie for the young defenders’ first senior appearance, before Dan Happe instantly miscued an effort wide from an Orient corner.
Maguire and Turley were at the centre of things again as the defender resorted to bringing down the attacker after pure determination to keep the ball from the Blyth frontman.
From the resulting free kick, Connor Oliver forced Brill into a fantastic low save. At the other end, James Brophy had an effort deflected into the hands of Jameson.
Huge Relief
The game started to open up inside the last 20 minutes. Dale Gorman threaded the ball through to Brophy, but his effort was blocked while the resulting corner came to nothing.
With another role of the dice, Justin Edinburgh replaced Alabi with Ruel Sotiriou.
The substitute grew into the game and was instantly brought down by Alex Nicholson. From the resulting free-kick, Turley rose highest to connect with Gorman’s teasing delivery, heading home the opening goal on 84 minutes in only his third game for the club.
Blyth had a late chance to equalise after Ogie had committed a foul. Orient could only half clear the danger with substitute Bradley Fewster being found at the back post, but his low effort was excellently tipped onto the post by Brill.
Orient defended heroically to deny Blyth their final chance of the game and secure a place in the FA Trophy Quarter Finals.
Match Stats
ORIENT: Brill, Lawless, Maguire-Drew (Ling 90’), Judd, Happe, Brophy, Gorman, Harrold, Turley, Alabi (Sotiriou 74’), Sweeney (Ogie 51’)
SUBS: Sargeant, Shabani.
GOALS: Turley (84’)
BOOKED: Turley (61’), Ogie (89’)
BLYTH SPARTANS: Jameson, Nicholson, Liddle, Green, Buddle, Laing, Watson, Oliver, Maguire, Reid, Dale.
SUBS: Fewster, Mullen, Wrightson, Horner, Holmes.
ATTENDANCE: 1,842 (289 away)
