Palmer strikes late to ensure O's finish with a win

He produced the decisive moment firing in off the post to give the O’s three points which flattered them.

They had been largely second best but hung in there and nicked the points to raise a smile among the visiting contingent.

But the O’s win owed much to debut keeper Sam Sargeant who celebrated signing his first professional contract this week by keeping a clean sheet on his maiden appearance.

He produced two full stretch saves and then held a vital catch at the end to ensure the visitors went home happy at the end of what was a dead rubber fixture with neither side having anything to play for.

There were not the tears or the drama of last season’s final day of the campaign when the O’s were relegated at Swindon Town – but the equation is the same. The O’s will be playing their football in the basement division again next season and the manner of this win will not disguise that there is a big job to be done at Brisbane Road next season.

It’s been a tough two years for the fans who as recently as May 2014 saw their team miss out on promotion to the Championship to Rotherham United after a dramatic penalty shooutout under the arch at Wembley Stadium.

This season began well enough with five straight wins but they were unable to sustain it, the club’s owner lost patience and three managers Ian Hendon, Kevin Nolan and Andy Hessenthaler were all unable to deliver on the target of promotion back to League One at the first attempt.

So after another season of more upheavals than ups, the East Londoners were probably more than happy to draw the curtain on another season, although Paul McCallum, who was back in the matchday squad, after his long injury, might have had other ideas.

Just like they did last Saturday, the O’s teamsheet gave a vision of the future. Centre half Aron Pollock and midfielder Sandro Semedo kept their places after their impressive debuts last week while there was a debut in goal for Sargeant with regular custodian Alex Cisak on the bench.

Pollock and Sargeant both signed their first professional contracts in the week but the young keeper should have been picking the ball out of his net after just eight minutes when Nathan Smith headed Matthew Dolan’s corner over the top from inside the six yard box when it seemed easier to score.

It was typical of Orient’s slow start against a team that seemed to have much more snap, crackle and pop about them despite the O’s starting the day almost 20 points ahead of the Glovers in the league table.

Yeovil’s approach play was neat and tidy but their final ball and finishing was less impressive as the Londoners, who were forced into an early change when Shaun Brisley went off injured to be replaced by Blair Turgott, were let off the hook.

Too many passes went astray from an O’s perspective and they needed a fantastic diving low save from rookie Sargeant to stay level on 38 minutes as Liam Shephard tried his luck from distance.

Many of the O’s fans had come in fancy dress, but their team hardly laid a glove on their hosts until the 42nd minute when Jay Simpson swivelled on a Turgott cross only to see it smack into defender Alex Lacey.

It was a rare half chance for 25-goal Simpson who was starved of service and replaced by McCallum deep into the second half.

It was a second half Orient began with more purpose but Sean Clohesy’s tame finish, into the gloves of keeper Artur Krysiak, was a disappointing end to a well-constructed passing move which had involved half the O’s team.

Sargeant continued to be the busier keeper though and he excelled again diving low to keep out Liam Walsh’s fizzer from the edge of the box.

The young keeper was the last line again when he produced an equally effective but hardly conventional stop to bat away Walsh’s cross shot when it became evident that nobody else in red was volunteering to deal with it.

Shortly afterwards and he was dirtying his gloves again getting down smartly to clutch onto Connor Roberts’ low effort as the hosts enjoyed a good spell.

The under-pressure Londoners were forced into their second defensive change of the afternoon before the hour mark when Pollock succumbed to injury and was replaced by young Josh Koroma.

Sean Clohesy, Nicky Hunt, Peter Ramage and Semedo now formed the reshuffled back line but it was Ramage, up to meet a rare Orient corner, who came close to breaking the deadlock, heading Lloyd James’ flag kick just a fraction over the top.

The biggest cheer from the 317 travelling fans was reserved for the introduction of McCallum though but those cheers turned to groans moments later when Palmer slammed well wide when he should have picked out McCallum who was lurking free in the middle.

At the other end, the O’s had the mother of all let-offs when Smith spooned over the top from four yards after Walsh’s low corner had been left by everyone.

But with the hosts not taking their chances, Orient did with Palmer reacting quickest in the box to gobble up a rare chance and slam in his ninth goal of the season in the off the post.

But the reds still needed a brave punch from Sergeant to preserve the points as Yeovil poured men forward and even their goalkeeper for a late corner.