Boyd double reignites Orient's play-off hopes

A SECOND half brace from Adam Boyd kept Orient's play-off dream alive as they came from behind to beat Swindon.

The O's fell behind to an Alton Thelwell own goal on 20 minutes, but the Londoners responded well after a poor first half with Boyd first converting a penalty and then heading home to bring an end to three straight home defeats.

The visitors made a flying start and almost broke the deadlock in the first 30 seconds. A deep cross from the left from Miguel Comminges wasn't cut out Aiden Palmer and Jon-Paul McGovern fired in a powerful low shot from 15 yards that Glenn Morris was down well to save.

The Robins continued to attack in the opening stages and Simon Cox was unlucky to flash a shot across the face of the goal from the right-hand edge of the area on two minutes.

The O's had the ball in the back of the net a minute later, but Boyd had clearly fouled his man Before JJ Melligan tucked the ball away.

But it was Swindon who broke the deadlock in rather fortunate circumstances on 20 minutes. Anthony McNamme sent over a cross from the left, and stand-in skipper for the night Thelwell unluckily directed the ball past Morris in his attempts to cut out the danger.

Swindon had another shot five minutes later, when McNamme fired in a 25 yard shot that flew wide.

Orient finally created their first real chance of the evening on the half hour mark. A flowing move ended with Boyd poking the ball through to Paul Terry, but his curling left foot shot lacked power and was comfortably dealt with by keeper Peter Brezovan.

Jason Demetriou had the next chance for the hosts on 34 minutes, but his shot from the edge of the area flew high and wide.

It was the same story when Sean Thornton tried his luck with a spectacular volley five minutes before the break.

McNamme then went on the attack with a run down the middle on 43 minutes, but he shot well wide from 20 yards out.

The O's created their first opening of the second period within 60 second, when Demetriou sent over a dangerous looking cross over from the left but Boyd's header was blocked a cleared behind to safety.

From Thornton's resulting corner Thelwell headed just over the bar.

Orient were level on 61 minutes, when Boyd fired in his 14th goal of the season from the penalty spot after he had clumsily been hauled down in the area by Comminges.

Boyd burst forward again on 54 minutes and after rounding Brezovan cut it back for Terry. His close range shot was desperately scrambled off the line by Swindon and there were yet more penalty appeals from O's players claiming the ball had struck an arm.

The east Londoners were in front 60 second later though, after Melligan sent over an excellent cross from the right which Boyd met with a thumping header that gave Brezovan no chance.

The hosts had a real let off on 64 minutes, when despite finding himself in space Cox blazed well wide after being picked out by McNamee's cross from the left Swindon went even closer on 71 minutes, when McGovern latched onto Palmer's headed clearance and sent in a powerful low shot from the edge of the area that was brilliantly tip around his post by Morris.

Orient struggled to clear their lines from the resulting corner and having picked up Terry's attempted clearance McGovern sent a screamer narrowly over the bar.

And the home goal continued to lead a charmed life on 76 minutes. Sub Sofiene Zaaboub picked out an unmarked Cox in the six-yard box, but he somehow scooped his shot over the bar.

Two minutes later and Blair Sturrock had a shot on the turn from the edge of the area that just flew wide of Morris' goal.

The east Londoners held on and even had a Brian Saah header well saved two minutes from time, from Thornton's free-kick.

Orient: Morris; Chambers, Thelwell, Saah, Palmer; Melligan, Thornton, Terry, Demetriou; Gray (Ibehre 78), Boyd (Barcham 84). Unused: Nelson (GK), Corden, Fortune.