Match ends, Walsall 0, Leyton Orient 2.
WalsallWalsall0Leyton OrientLeyton Orient2
Leyton Orient beefed up their League One survival fight with a fully-deserved win at stuttering Walsall.
Second-half goals from Ryan Hedges and Chris Dagnall sunk the Saddlers, whose play-offs hopes are fading after four games without a win.
Orient were always the better side and went ahead when Ryan Hedges finished off Dagnall's 57th-minute chip.
Three minutes later Hedges turned provider, feeding Dagnall who fired high into the net to seal the points.
Victory brings Orient within a point of Coventry, who occupy the place above the relegation zone.
Walsall manager Dean Smith told BBC WM:
"It was a frustrating afternoon. Leyton Orient fully deserved to win. They worked hard, made it difficult for us.
"We needed to play in their half, but we didn't do that. They came with a game plan and we kept playing into it.
"Some of our senior players looked nervous. They are willing lads who give 100% but we've got to be bette. It's about staying together and being ready to go again on Tuesday night at Yeovil."
Leyton Orient striker Chris Dagnall told BBC London 94.9:
"It's all about confidence, we've been playing well in certain games and not been getting the results.
"But the lads kept their confidence up and it has shown in the past two or three games.
"We've got something to prove to ourselves as we don't believe we should be where we are in the league, we want to get out of the relegation fight as soon as we can."
Line-ups
Walsall
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1O'Donnell
- 2PurkissBooked at 56mins
- 4O'Connor
- 15Chambers
- 3Taylor
- 30Hiwula-Mayifuila
- 7Chambers
- 12CainSubstituted forFlanaganat 66'minutes
- 21CookSubstituted forGrimesat 74'minutes
- 10Sawyers
- 9BradshawSubstituted forBakayokoat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Downing
- 11Baxendale
- 13MacGillivray
- 17Flanagan
- 20Bakayoko
- 24Grimes
- 29Murphy
Leyton Orient
Formation 4-4-2
- 40Cisak
- 26O'Neill
- 12LowrySubstituted forCuthbertat 90+1'minutes
- 6Baudry
- 32Dossena
- 34HedgesSubstituted forCoxat 75'minutes
- 4Vincelot
- 17Wright
- 11McAnuff
- 23DagnallSubstituted forSimpsonat 83'minutes
- 10Mooney
Substitutes
- 3Sawyer
- 5Cuthbert
- 7Cox
- 15Clarke
- 20Bartley
- 27Simpson
- 33Woods
- Referee:
- Eddie Ilderton
- Attendance:
- 5,239
Match Stats
Home TeamWalsallAway TeamLeyton Orient
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away4
- Corners
- Home2
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Walsall 0, Leyton Orient 2.
Post update
James O'Connor (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Dean Cox (Leyton Orient).
Post update
Attempt saved. Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila (Walsall) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution
Substitution, Leyton Orient. Scott Cuthbert replaces Shane Lowry.
Post update
Attempt missed. Reece Flanagan (Walsall) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Mathieu Baudry.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jay Simpson (Leyton Orient) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Leyton Orient. Jay Simpson replaces Chris Dagnall.
Substitution
Substitution, Walsall. Amadou Bakayoko replaces Tom Bradshaw.
Post update
Hand ball by David Mooney (Leyton Orient).
Post update
Tom Bradshaw (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Andrea Dossena (Leyton Orient).
Post update
Tom Bradshaw (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Romain Vincelot (Leyton Orient).
Substitution
Substitution, Leyton Orient. Dean Cox replaces Ryan Hedges.
Substitution
Substitution, Walsall. Ashley Grimes replaces Jordan Cook.
Post update
Corner, Leyton Orient. Conceded by James O'Connor.
Post update
James Chambers (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
