The Breyer Group Stadium

THREE second-half goals condemned Whites to a third consecutive National League defeat at Leyton Orient on Bank Holiday Monday.

An own goal from Kadell Daniel, along with late strikes from Josh Koroma and substitute Matt Harrold handed the O’s all three points at Breyer Group Stadium.

Earlier, Whites were on the front foot, with Daniel unfortunate to see his close-range shot blocked following Mitch Brundle’s corner.

At the other end of the pitch, visiting stopper Mitch Walker was able to grab hold of Charlie Lee’s header from Job McAnuff’s free-kick.

And it was the home side who almost went ahead on the quarter hour mark.

Koroma evaded the attention of Kevin Lokko, before firing a 25-yard curling effort narrowly wide of the top corner.

Daniel then collected Aryan Tajbakhsh’s pass, before swivelling and volleying into home goalie Dean Brill’s arms via a deflection.

Walker then had to stretch to prevent Miles Judd’s looping header from dipping in following a crossfield pass from Lee.

And Orient midfielder Lee was in the thick of the action soon after.

The 31-year old thundered a shot from the edge of the box, with Walker producing a fine save to keep the ball out of his net.

And Dover’s number one was one hand to catch James Dayton’s strike following a swift O’s counter-attack and was grabbed onto the same player’s low drive at the end of a frantic half.

But the whistle for the break had not been blown before the best chance of the game.

Lurking at the back post, Koroma latched onto Marvin Ekpiteta’s flick, only to see his volley spectacularly saved by Walker.

Jack Connors curled off target from Anthony Jeffrey’s pass inside.

At the start of the second half, Koroma struck the angle of post and bar following good work.

But the hosts did not have to wait long for their opening goal.

On 50 minutes, a short corner ended with Daniel deflecting Mcanuff’s Cross into his own net.

Lee went close to doubling the lead, volleying wide from distance and Daniel went close from range, firing just over.

And Josh Coulson was inches from scoring, just missing Koroma’s ball across the goalline.

Lokko headed Brundle’s pinpoint corner wide and Coulson nodded over from McAnuff’s set piece.

The home team looked the kill the game off with Koroma blazing wide from an angle.

But Orient had the three points sown up with five minutes of the match left.

Koroma ran onto Dayton’s through ball to slot past the onrushing Walker.

And Matt Harrold almost rounded things off in injury time, escaping his marker and shooting straight at Walker.

But the striker did get his goal with virtually the last kick of the match.

Harrold rose highest to head in Judd’s delivery as Athletic continued their search for a first clean sheet of the campaign.

Earlier, boss Chris Kinnear made two changes to the side that lost at Eastleigh two days previously. Jeffrey and Daniel replaced Inih Effiong and Nortei Nortey, who started as substitutes.

Dover next host Barnet on Saturday 1st September, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

LEYTON ORIENT REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”265″ gal_title=”Leyton Orient v DAFC 27/08/18″]

MITCH Walker’s spectacular late save preserved a hard-earned point for Whites at a rain-swept Brisbane Road on Saturday.

Athletic’s keeper blocked Macaulay Bonne’s point-blank header from six yards with his legs as Chris Kinnear’s men extended their unbeaten league run to 10 matches.

Nortei Nortey had curled the visitors ahead in the first half, but a deflected effort from Craig Clay 12 minutes from time had the O’s level.

The away side almost made the perfect start for when James Alabi bore down on goal following a mistake by Joe Widdowson, but home keeper Sam Sargeant, a late addition to the starting line-up after Orient’s first choice stopper Charlie Grainger injured himself in the warmup, denied the striker with his feet.

Bonne then nodded Alex Lawless’ corner narrowly over and at the other end, both Alabi and Ryan Bird were close to connecting to Femi Ilesanmi’s dangerous ball across the box.

Mitch Pinnock’s 30-yard free-kick dipped just wide of Sargeant’s goal and Clay blasted just wide in a breathless first quarter of an hour.

Former Premier League star Jobi McAnuff drilled just past the post and Alabi volleyed just over from a tight angle.

But Chris Kinnear’s men were not to be kept out for long and Nortey collected Alabi’s pass and fired past a diving Sargeant much to the delight of the 537 travelling fans.

McAnuff and Swindon loanee James Brophy struck efforts wide for Orient and Mitch Pinnock flicked Josh Passley’s pinpoint cross narrowly over.

Passley was then replaced by Loui Fazakerley five minutes before the break after an unfortunate collision with an advertising board following a 50-50 challenge.

And in first-half stoppage time, Walker dived low to push Brophy’s shot from outside the box to his right.

Dover’s keeper then tipped away Bonne’s header from a corner, but a goalmouth scramble ensued with Zimbabwe international Bonne poking an effort towards goal with Connor Essam clearing off the line.

But Leyton Orient’s pressure finally paid off as Clay run onto Brophy’s pass and found the net from inside the box via a deflection in spite of Giancarlo Gallifuoco’s best efforts to keep the ball out.

And the home team, with caretaker boss Russ Embleton in charge following the dismissal of Steve Davis as manager earlier in the week, almost snatched a late winner as Bonne leapt highest to meet James Dayton’s ball into the box, only to be denied by Walker.

McAnuff fired a free-kick narrowly over in injury time as Dover kept their place at the top of the table, one point clear of Wrexham in second spot.

Earlier, Kinnear kept with the same side that beat Eastleigh last week. Anthony Jeffrey, signed on loan from Sutton, started as a substitute.

Whites next travel to Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday 21st November. Kick off 7:45 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION