![Prost International [PINT]](https://prostinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/PINTtFontLogoRoboto1536x78.jpg)
Leyton Orient 2 : 1 Newport County
On an emotional day in East London, Orient officially named their main stand the Justin Edinburgh Stand in honour of their former manager who died so tragically young. His side did him proud with a fantastic performance that brought their first home win since October.
County were flat all game after suffering an early double blow when captain Joss Labadie and Ryan Innis were both injured in the warm up prompting two late changes.
It could have been more than 2-1 as only three spectacular saves from Newport keeper Tom King in a goalless first half kept the sides level at the interval.
The second half saw all the goals.
A Marvin Ekpiteta header from a James Brophy corner gave Orient a well deserved lead in a game where they belied their league position and form. Ruel Sotiriou added a second from a Josh Wright cross in the closing minutes before Jamille Matt’s late header gave the Welshmen a consolation. The Sotiriou gals may still be called an own goal however.
The win alleviates any lingering threat of the dropzone for the Os but puts a sever dent in Newport’s promotion hopes.
Orient started a match the better side. Sotiriou opened up Newport early but his run lost momentum when he decided to pass out to the wing rather than cause further panic.
Sotiriou was the potential dangerman again on 13 and Jordan Maguire should have at least hit the target rather than firing over. Micky Demetriou was doing a stalwart job keeping him at bay otherwise.
Matty Dolan had County’s first chance direct from a free kick but Sam Sargeant saved sharply, perhaps making the save look easier than it was.
Tom King in the County goal produced a more spectacular save from a header on 22 tipping a certain Ouss Cisse goal around the corner. He repeated the feat even more spectacularly five minutes later after a superb Maguire long range effort.
The same two men were involved on 34 and again King again produced a magnificent save to deny Maguire, again at full stretch.
However his three saves were replaced by three goals in the second half with Orient deservedly scoring the majority of them.
Team Lineups:
Leyton Orient: 12 Sargeant, 21 Marsh, 5 Ekpiteta, 15 Happe, 16 Brophy, 8 Clay, 31 Cissé (Kyprianou 93′), 44 Wright, 20 Sotiriou (Harrold 93′), 9 Wilkinson, 10 Maguire-Drew (Angolat 78′)
Newport County: 1 King, 12 Baker (Amondat 83′), 25 O’Brien, 28 Demetriou, 3 Haynes, 17 Bennett, 7 Willmott, 10 Sheehan, 8 Dolan (Nurse 65′), 11 Matt, 15 Abrahams (Green 61′)
