Leyton Orient extend winning start with Stevenage win

It looked like Ian Hendon’s side would be frustrated but Jay Simpson headed home the opener in the 75th minute before a sensational goal from substitute Blair Turgott.

Ollie Palmer came off the bench late on and claimed his first goal for the club to seal the points and send Orient top of League Two.

The O’s named an unchanged team for the third successive league game. Hendon was able to keep captain Mathieu Baudry in the side after passing a fitness test following an ankle injury.

Orient created the first opportunity in the opening minute but Bradley Pritchard blasted his shot from the edge of the area high and wide.

But Teddy Sheringham's Stevenage should have taken the lead shortly afterwards when Brett Williams fired his low strike against the post.

Paul McCallum had his first sight of goal from a corner but the striker directed his header wide of the target.

The O’s put together a neat attack with Pritchard flicking the ball through to Dean Cox but his volley flew wide of Chris Day’s post.

Orient came agonisingly close to taking the lead when McCallum’s header, from Sean Clohessy’s cross, was cleared off the line by Mark Hughes.

The striker appealed that the ball had crossed the line, with video footage appearing to back this up, but the linesman did not raise his flag.

The visitors had a chance through Dipo Akinyemi but his header flew harmlessly over.

Stevenage were unlucky not to open the scoring when Akinyemi’s rasping strike smashed off the crossbar.

The O’s responded well and appealed for a penalty for a handball after Jay Simpson’s strike was blocked but nothing was given.

Frazer Shaw tried an ambitious effort from well outside the area but the defender’s strike rose high over the bar.

Orient went close at the start of the second half but Sammy Moore could only fire Shaw’s cross over the bar from 12 yards out.

Alex Cisak was called into action as he made a very good save to keep out Williams’ long-range strike.

Hendon made his first change on the hour when he introduced Turgott for Lloyd James.

Substitute Turgott sent in a dangerous cross but McCallum spurned the chance as he headed over the bar.

Tom Conlon had only been on a few minutes for the visitors but went close when his low strike crept past the post.

Simpson was unlucky to fire his shot against the crossbar for the hosts.

But the striker was rewarded shortly afterwards when Cox’s cross was headed home by Simpson for the crucial breakthrough.

It was almost 2-0 when Cox went on a superb run into the visitors’ area but Day managed to come off his line and save at the attacker’s feet.

Palmer was brought on by Hendon in place of McCallum while Alan Dunne also came on for Cox.

Orient clinched the victory with an absolutely stunning goal. Clohessy sent in a cross and Turgott hit a sublime volley into the net.

The O's blew away Stevenage in the last 15 minutes and rounded off the scoring late on with Palmer beating the offside trap to score their third and send Orient top of the table.

Leyton Orient: Cisak; Shaw, Essam, Baudry, Clohessy; Cox (Dunne, 82), James (Turgott, 60), Pritchard, Moore; Simpson, McCallum (Palmer, 76)

Subs not used: Grainger, Kashket, Moncur, Ling

Stevenage: Day; Frank, Hughes, Wells, Okimo; Schumacher, Pett (Storer, 79), Parrett, Lee (Conlon, 65); Akinyemi, Williams (Hitchcock, 75)

Subs not used: Kettings, Casey, Ogilvie, Gorman

Referee: Chris Sarginson

Attendance: 4,949