Orient hit Dagenham for four

9:36pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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Dagenham and Redbridge 1
Leyton Orient 4
(Pre-season Friendly)

ORIENT secured their second pre-season victory after a blistering second half display saw them thump local rivals Dagenham and Redbridge.

Ben Strevens had given John Still's men a first half lead, but an Adam Boyd brace coupled with a JJ Melligan header and a first goal for on-loan Spurs striker Simon Dawkins after the break saw the visitors run out clear winners.

The O's had the first chance of the evening on five minutes, when Boyd fed Sean Thornton but his shot was blocked by Dominic Green.

Two minutes later and Sam Saunders shot tamely over at the other end.

Just 60 seconds later and Boyd had a chance deflected over Tony Roberts bar from the edge of the area.

The first clear cut chance finally arrived on the quarter hour mark. A neat interchange between Melligan and Thornton resulted in the latter teeing up Boyd, but his curling effort was brilliantly tipped over by Dagenham stopper Roberts.

Boyd should have opened the scoring three minutes later but he failed to hit the target from the edge of the area, after being picked out by Melligan who had latched onto a slack back pass by Scott Griffiths.

Thornton then went close again for Orient with a free-kick on 21 minutes that sailed just over the home bar.

The Daggers broke straight down the other end and looked to have taken the lead, when Saunders played in Strevens but his rasping shot came back off the bar.

Orient had another let off on 28 minutes, after Saunders played in a free-kick from the right that picked out an unmarked Mark Arber, but his glancing effort came back off the left-hand upright.

Just a minute later though and Dagenham went in front. Dominic Green's left wing cross was tamely turned goalwards by Strevens and brought a fumble from O's stopper Glenn Morris that was pounced on by the striker at the second attempt as he poked home from close range.

Strevens almost doubled the lead on 33 with a looping effort, but this time Morris tipped over. Green's resulting corner was glanced goalwards by the head of Strevens, but Thornton on the post did well to clear off the line.

At the other end Melligan switched the play from the right to the left, but winger Bradley Gray fired wide from just inside the box.

The visitors almost hit back just before the break, when Thornton played a neat ball to Jason Demetriou and despite having to adjust his body was able to get off a shot that rattled Roberts left-hand post.

Orient made a flying start to the second half and were level within two minutes, after Demetriou's pinpoint cross from the left was headed home at the back post by Melligan.

The lively looking Melligan sent over a good cross from the right on 56 minutes that was headed just the wrong side of the bar by sub Dawkins.

And Orient did go in front in the 59th minute after Boyd coolly slotted home from the penalty spot after John Nurse had handled Melligan's right wing cross in the area.

The Daggers almost hit back on 63 minutes, but Solomon Taiwo's free-kick just cleared the bar.

Benson had a good opening 60 seconds later after being sent clear down the right, but dragged his shot wide.

Back at the other end and Demetriou fired just wide, although Martin Ling's men should have extended their lead further in the 66th minute.

Dawkins played a neat one-two with Boyd, but after finding himself one-on-one with Roberts he somehow shot wide of the left post.

The youngster atoned for his error in the 70th minute when he chipped a delightful ball over the top that was brilliantly caught on the left-foot volley by Boyd to make it the three to the O's.

And it was four for Orient in the 79th minute, after Boyd threaded the ball through to Dawkins and he made no mistake this time to low past Roberts.

The hosts refused to give up and subs Mark Nwokeji and Nurse both had half chances in quick succession.

But it could have got worse for the Daggers in the 86th minute, but sub Solomon Shields crashed a shot against the bar after being intelligently picked out by Boyd.

Dagenham: Roberts; Frey (Boardman 46), Arber, Uddin, Griffiths; Saunders, (Graham 53) Gain, Taiwo, Green (Nurse 53); Benson (Southam 53), Strevens (Nwokeji 53). Unused: Thompson (GK),, Vernazza.

Orient: Morris (Jones 59); Purches (Cave-Brown 76), Saah, Robson (Palmer 46), Granville (O'Donnell 79); B. Gray (Terry 46), Thornton (Chambers 46), Demetriou (Shields 70), Melligan (Pires 59); Boyd W. Gray (Dawkins 46).