Colchester United 2-0 Leyton Orient

Colchester secured a vital victory over fellow strugglers Leyton Orient but remain two points from safety at the foot of League One.

Gavin Massey opened the scoring for the hosts as he swept home from close in.

Kaspars Gorkss' header doubled the lead before Chris Dagnall thought he had pulled one back for Orient, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.

The hosts' win was soured when Elliott Hewitt was shown a straight red card for a foul on Romain Vincelot.

The U's leapfrog Orient as a result of the win but both teams remain in the League One relegation zone.

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Liverani on Colchester v Orient

Leyton Orient manager Fabio Liverani told BBC London 94.9:

"We have to fight until 2 May, the last game to avoid relegation because this is what we can fight for. Last season was great, but it has passed so this season it is a strong battle to avoid relegation.

"We knew that Colchester would push a lot in the first 20 minutes and we prepared for the game in that way but then on the pitch it was a different story.

"They showed more desire and hunger than us and this is what I said to the players - we have to play with that sort of spirit to go ahead and progress in the league."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Colchester

• 1Walker
• 20Clohessy
• 13Gorkss
• 18EastmanBooked at 44mins
• 15Briggs
• 38Fox
• 32Lapslie
• 28SzmodicsBooked at 74minsSubstituted forMoncurat 84'minutes
• 41HewittBooked at 83mins
• 42PorterSubstituted forBonneat 90+2'minutes
• 21MasseySubstituted forGordonat 86'minutes

Substitutes

• 3Gordon
• 7Sanchez Watt
• 11Marriott
• 12Lewington
• 24Moncur
• 27Bonne
• 37Sembie-Ferris

Leyton Orient

• 33Woods
• 3SawyerSubstituted forDossenaat 88'minutes
• 15Clarke
• 12Lowry
• 35Eardley
• 26Lundstram
• 4VincelotBooked at 75mins
• 7Cox
• 34HedgesSubstituted forPritchardat 85'minutes
• 10MooneySubstituted forPlasmatiat 64'minutes
• 23Dagnall

Substitutes

• 2Omozusi
• 16Lee
• 17Wright
• 18Pritchard
• 21Grainger
• 30Plasmati
• 32Dossena

Referee:

Mark Heywood

Attendance:

5,668

Match Stats

Home TeamColchesterAway TeamLeyton Orient

Possession

Home42%

Away58%

Shots

Home5

Away11

Shots on Target

Home3

Away7

Corners

Home6

Away7

Fouls

Home11

Away9

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Colchester United 2, Leyton Orient 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Colchester United 2, Leyton Orient 0.

Posted at 90'+4'

Attempt saved. Romain Vincelot (Leyton Orient) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 90'+3'

Corner, Leyton Orient. Conceded by Matthew Briggs.

Substitution

Posted at 90'+2'

Substitution, Colchester United. Macauley Bonne replaces Chris Porter.

Posted at 89'

Attempt saved. Chris Dagnall (Leyton Orient) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

Posted at 88'

Corner, Leyton Orient. Conceded by Sam Walker.

Posted at 88'

Attempt saved. John Lundstram (Leyton Orient) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

Substitution

Posted at 88'

Substitution, Leyton Orient. Andrea Dossena replaces Gary Sawyer.

Posted at 88'

Corner, Leyton Orient. Conceded by Tom Eastman.

Substitution

Posted at 86'

Substitution, Colchester United. Ben Gordon replaces Gavin Massey.

Substitution

Posted at 85'

Substitution, Leyton Orient. Bradley Pritchard replaces Ryan Hedges.

Posted at 85'

Attempt missed. George Moncur (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

Substitution

Posted at 84'

Substitution, Colchester United. George Moncur replaces Sammie Szmodics.

Dismissal

Posted at 83'

Elliott Hewitt (Colchester United) is shown the red card for a bad foul.

Posted at 83'

Romain Vincelot (Leyton Orient) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 83'

Foul by Elliott Hewitt (Colchester United).

Posted at 80'

Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Nathan Clarke.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Ryan Hedges (Leyton Orient).

Posted at 79'

Matthew Briggs (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Booking

Posted at 75'

Romain Vincelot (Leyton Orient) is shown the yellow card.

Booking

Posted at 74'

Sammie Szmodics (Colchester United) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 74'

Nathan Clarke (Leyton Orient) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Sammie Szmodics (Colchester United).

Posted at 72'

Gianvito Plasmati (Leyton Orient) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Kaspars Gorkss (Colchester United).

Posted at 71'

Attempt missed. Elliott Hewitt (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.

Posted at 68'

Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Shane Lowry.

Posted at 67'

Foul by Romain Vincelot (Leyton Orient).

Posted at 67'

Gavin Massey (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 66'

Attempt saved. Gianvito Plasmati (Leyton Orient) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 66'

Corner, Leyton Orient. Conceded by Tom Lapslie.

Posted at 66'

Corner, Leyton Orient. Conceded by Matthew Briggs.

Posted at 65'

Corner, Leyton Orient. Conceded by Sean Clohessy.

Posted at 64'

Attempt saved. Dean Cox (Leyton Orient) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Substitution

Posted at 64'

Substitution, Leyton Orient. Gianvito Plasmati replaces David Mooney.

Posted at 62'

Foul by Tom Lapslie (Colchester United).

Posted at 62'

David Mooney (Leyton Orient) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 61'

Foul by Sean Clohessy (Colchester United).

Posted at 61'

Romain Vincelot (Leyton Orient) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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