Leyton Orient 1 Walsall 0 - match report and pictures

The midfielder fired home four minutes before half-time after collecting David Mooney's cross to send the hosts through to the third round.

Craig Westcarr came closest to an equaliser with a free-kick which hit the post.

But despite having plenty of the game, the Saddlers created little in the final third on a frustrating afternoon, which saw David Mooney sent-off for the hosts in the final minute of stoppage time.

It was simply a case of the same old story as their often impressive approach play fell to pieces around the box. Aside from saving an early Westcarr shot, home keeper Jamie Jones was rarely troubled as Walsall's rotten recent FA Cup history continued. It is now seven years since they last reached the third round.

Dean Smith made three changes to the team which lost 2-0 to Port Vale last weekend, with Nicky Featherstone and Ashley Hemmings coming in, while there was also a first start of the season for Ben Purkiss at right-back. Romaine Sawyers, James Chambers and James Baxendale all dropped to the bench.

After a scrappy opening few minutes the first chance was created by the Saddlers. Milan Lalkovic threaded a pass through to Westcarr and he turned on the edge of the box before thumping an effort which Jones was forced to tip over.

The home keeper was then breathing a sigh of relief moments later when Andy Butler whistled a volley just over the bar from the edge of the box, after Orient had failed to clear the resulting corner.

Yohann Lasimant drilled over for the hosts but it was still the Saddlers who looked the more incisive with Lalkovic inches away from getting the decisive touch on a terrific Andy Taylor cross.

Hemmings was just off target with a curling effort from the edge of the box, while Mooney should have done better than slice badly wide after being set up by Batt at the other end.

Westcarr was the next man to shoot just wide after Adam Chambers had blocked a clearance and it was the Saddlers asking all the questions, with Orient's opener coming somewhat out of the blue. A Mooney cross was missed by Shaun Batt but came to Cox, who cut inside before placing a shot into the top corner, over the head of Downing on the line.

Lasimant pulled an effort wide from distance early in the second half as the Saddlers took time to re-find their stride. When they did, Hemmings forced a save from Jones after meeting Westcarr's low cross.

Westcarr was then within inches of a leveller with a free-kick which hit the post and then struck a motionless Jones before being cleared.

The striker was then inches away from latching on to a header from substitute Sawyers, while Romaine Vincelot hammered a shot over at the other end.

Batt was also just wide with a shot after finding space on the edge of the box and Mooney saw an effort deflected through to Saddlers keeper Richard O'Donnell.

There was more frustration for the visitors as a Sawyers cross was an inch too high for Westcarr and then Hemmings slipped when attempting a shot.

Orient substitute Johnny Gorman fired wide and then struck a better effort into the side netting, while at the other end Paul Downing failed to get enough power into his header from a Mantom cross.

Mooney saw red for lashing out at Downing which saw the visiting players react in furious fashion. The final chance then fell to the Saddlers centre-back, who fired wide in the seventh minute of stoppage time.