Ten-man Orient easily seen off by Carlisle

ORIENT'S play-off hopes suffered a real blow as promotion chasing Carlisle easily saw off the ten-man O's.

The visitors took a 2-0 lead into the break as goals from Danny Graham and David Raven put them in control, before JJ Melligan saw red for a cynical two-footed tackle 12 minutes before the interval.

John Ward's men didn't let up in the second half and extended their advantage through Grant Smith and could have gone on to win by an even greater margin but for some wasteful finishing and a couple of fine saves from Glenn Morris.

The visitors started the brighter, but a Cleveland Taylor shot went wide, while Adam Chambers put in an excellent block to deny Marc Bridge-Wilkinson.

The Carlisle midfielder then failed to hit the target after Graham had laid the ball back to him on seven minutes.

Orient carved out their first chance on ten minutes after Jason Demetriou jinked down the left, but his cross was just too far in front of Sean Thornton and keeper Keiren Westwood smothered up the danger.

Just seven minutes later the Cumbrians raced into the lead, when Chris Lumsdon's measured cross from the right was powerfully headed home at the near post by Graham.

Carlisle doubled their lead on 32 minutes, after Smith's shot took a deflection and looped up in the air and Raven made the most of some terrible indecision by the O's defence to clinically blast home from the edge of the area.

The east Londoners then saw Melligan shown a straight red by ref Keith Hill 60 seconds later following a two-footed challenge on Evan Horwood.

The Cumbrians also had another goal chalked off before the interval after Graham had narrowly strayed off-side before heading home.

Taylor had the first chance of the second half with a low shot on 48 minutes, that was well saved by Morris down to his left.

But just 60 seconds later Smith burst forward from the midfield before letting fly with a low left footed drive that sailed into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Things could have got even worse for Martin Ling's men on 59 minutes, when Graham fed Simon Hackney on the left but he shot wide despite having the goal at his mercy.

Bridge-Wilkinson then fired over when well placed, before having a shot from just inside the area kept out by an excellent full length save from Morris on 61 minutes.

At the over end Adam Chambers flashed a shot across the area from a tight angle on the right.

Hackney had the next three chances for Carlisle, but the first two on 69 and 70 minutes, both lacked accuracy, while his third from the edge of the area was comfortably saved by Morris.

The hosts finally created their first opening of the second half on 76 minutes, but sub Jabo Ibehre's shot on the turn was easily smothered by Westwood.

Sub Gary Madine was next to sting the palms of Morris on 84 minutes, with a powerfully hit shot from just outside the area.

Orient carved out a couple of good opportunities in stoppage time, but Ibehre's shot was deflected just over, while skipper Stephen Purches shot just wide on a day the O's will want to forget.

ORIENT: Morris; Chambers, Thelwell (Daniels 62), Saah, Palmer; Melligan, Thornton (Purches 45), Terry, Demetriou; Gray, Boyd (Ibehre 45). Unused: Nelson (GK), Barcham.