Walsall 1 Leyton Orient 0 - Report and pictures

In similar fashion to the 2-1 loss to Carlisle on Sunday, the Saddlers created several chances in the first half.

But in contrast to that defeat they did manage to take one of them, with Josh Gordon rounding the Orient goalkeeper to put Walsall ahead just before half-time.

Orient came out fighting in the second half and began to put more pressure on the Saddlers defence.

Left-back Cameron Pring was sent off during the second half after the referee adjudged he fouled Myles Judd, earning him a second yellow card.

But after losing last time out due to a late Carlisle goal, this time the Saddlers hung onto their lead and won 1-0.

Darrell Clarke made three changes to the side that lost 2-1 to Carlisle, keeping the 4-4-2 formation.

Dan Scarr, Pring and Liam Kinsella, who all missed the last fixture through injury and illness, returned to the starting XI.

Callum Cockerill-Mollett and Alfie Bates dropped to the bench while captain James Clarke was suspended after his straight red card against Carlisle.

Stuart Sinclair, Elijah Adebayo and James Hardy were missing from the squad.

Academy midfielder Sam Perry made the bench for the second game running.

Ross Embleton’s Leyton Orient were unchanged from their 1-1 draw with Newport on Sunday.

They started in a 4-3-3 formation with former Shrewsbury striker Lee Angol leading the line.

Conor Wilkinson, who scored and was sent off in Orient’s 3-1 win over Walsall in October, missed the game with a hamstring injury.

Walsall started the game brightly with a few flashes of goal in the opening minutes. The clearest came from a Rory Holden free-kick which was deflected just wide of the post from the edge of the box.

There was a call for a penalty when Ruel Sotiriou claimed Scarr threw pushed him in the back as he raced into the box, but referee Darren Handley waved it away.

Shay Facey was replaced after picking up an injury in the 17th minute. Cameron Norman took his place and made his first appearance since the FA Cup replay win over Darlington on November 20.

The first major chance came after 20 minutes. Norman crossed for Holden who was unmarked on the penalty spot but the midfielder missed the ball with his header.

Walsall had their own penalty call waved away by the referee when Gordon went down under a challenge.

Shortly after, the striker should have scored. A corner was headed on by Mat Sadler and was inadvertently blocked by Wes McDonald. The ball then fell to Gordon whose point-blank save was saved by Sam Sargeant.

The Saddlers then suffered their second injury in the opening 38 minutes. Danny Guthrie was replaced by Bates.

In the 43rd minute Walsall took the lead. A Liam Roberts goal kick was flicked on by Caolan Lavery and put Gordon through on the goal. The striker rounded the Orient goalkeeper and tucked the ball home into an empty net.

It was the last action of the half was Walsall went into the break leading 1-0.

The away side started the second half seeing more of the ball and pressuring Walsall’s defence, but they failed to create a clear chance.

McDonald then went close for the Saddlers. A fast-flowing move with Gordon saw McDonald racing at the Orient defence. He cut inside and shot and the powerful effort was held by Sargeant.

With both sides struggling to create, it was the Saddlers who fashioned the next chance. Holden drifted inside and received the ball in the middle. He then played a reverse cross back towards goal which was met by Gordon. His header was just wide of the post.

After 65 minutes Walsall were reduced to 10 men for the second game running when Pring was given a second yellow card. The booking was given for putting a foot in on Judd as he kicked the ball. It seemed a harsh call at the time.

Callum Cockerill-Mollett then came off the bench and joined a back three as Walsall switched to a 5-2-2 formation. Holden moved to left-wing-back.

Despite the Saddlers having backs to the wall for most of the half, Gordon almost snatched a second goal after 75 minutes. Some excellent pressing saw the Orient goalkeeper skew his kick, allowing Kinsella to win the ball back. His header was back to Gordon whose first time shot was just wide of the post.

Orient continued to knock on the door in the closing stages but some resolute defending from Walsall earned them the 1-0 win.

Walsall: Roberts, Facey (Norman 17), Sadler, Scarr, Pring, Holden, Kinsella, Guthrie (Bates 38), McDonald (Cockerill-Mollett 70), Gordon, Lavery.

Subs not used: Rose, Jules, Perry, Gaffney.

Leyton Orient: Sargeant, Judd, Ekpiteta, Torley (Dennis 83), Happe, Wright (Brophy 45), Drew, Clay, Marsh, Angol (Harrold 45), Sotiriou.

Subs not used: Coulson, Dayton, Janata, Kyprianou.

Attendance: 4,263 (425 away)