Noah Phillips the shoot-out hero as Leyton Orient earn Carabao Cup progress

Noah Phillips was the shoot-out hero with two saves that saw Leyton Orient through to the Carabao Cup third round 6-5 on penalties after a 0-0 draw at Walsall.

Phillips beat away Lewis Simper’s opening spot-kick and while Jaze Kabia dragged wide Orient’s first, Isaac Hayden, Theo Archibald, Idris El Mizouni, Zech Obiero and Fin Stevens made it 5-5 before Phillips flew the other way to thwart Declan Skura, with Joseph Olowu firing the League One side’s winner.

Two much-changed sides traded chances with Walsall’s habit of pinching the ball high offsetting Orient edging the open play.

Saddlers keeper Jed Ward spectacularly turned over a rising Charlie Wellens drive from Theo Archibald’s cutback 20 minutes in.

Home midfielder Charlie Crew inspired chances at both ends, nicking possession which led to an Andrew Dallas shot being charged down after half an hour only for his pass inside to be stolen by a surging Demetri Mitchell moments later but Nicholas Oyekunle fluffed his lines from the lay-off.

Dallas drew a strong stop from Phillips as a result of Tai Sodje pressing high and Harrison Burke was denied Walsall’s opener from a far-post header when flagged offside in first-half stoppage time.

Isaac Moore shot narrowly wide for the hosts 14 seconds into an end-to-end second half that became scrappier as it went along, Wellens drawing another fine close-range save from Ward 65 minutes in.