First half dominance pays dividends for Swindon Town, who win away from home at Leyton Orient in League Two

Keshi Anderson and Jerry Yates got themselves on the scoresheet again, while Joe Widdowson's own goal summed up what proved a woeful first half for the hosts. 

They fought back, and notched a goal of their own through impact substitute Jordan Maguire-Drew on 74 minutes. 

But asides from a five-minute moment of slight panic, Town controlled proceedings and rightfully left London with three points. 

Richie Wellens made no changes from his side that defeated Morecambe 3-1 at the County Ground last weekend, though new recruit Anthony Grant replaced Scott Twine on the bench.

The enormous roar from the 1,350 travelling fans no doubt inspired Town’s energetic start.

Two early corners were won, the first presented Rose with a wonderful opportunity to open Town’s account with barely two minutes played. But his effort was drilled into traffic before the second was cleared.

Orient were blocked out of any advances into Town’s penalty area in the first half – Wilkinson could only watch his weak left-footed shot from 25 yards dribble hopelessly wide, one of three shots the hosts had in the game’s opening 45.

Town then scored the first of three first half goals following Ekpiteta’s clumsy foul on Anderson five yards outside the penalty area.

Anderson stepped up to take the free kick - and while his initial effort was blocked, the 24-year-old made no mistake at the second time of asking, calmly slotting the ball into Brill’s bottom right corner.

In truth, Anderson could’ve had two more in the minutes that followed. But his two efforts on the edge of the penalty area were struck to the right of Brill’s top corner.

New recruit Anthony Grant picked up more minutes today than he had bargained for. He was rushed on as Lyden’s replacement with 10 minutes remaining in the half after the midfielder left the pitch holding his thigh.

At this point, Orient’s performance took a turn for the worst – passes were sloppy and challenges were rash.

To the naked eye, the game was a first round FA Cup battle between an established Football League outfit and a non-league minnow.

Wellens’ side then added not one, but two goals before half-time – which rescued Orient while they were at their worst.

The first was rather fortuitous, Hunt’s cross from the right struck the back of home defender Widdowson before finding Brill’s near post top corner.

Home fans’ boos did little to help Orient’s increasingly desperate situation. And Jerry Yates added to their misery when scoring Town’s third, another calm finish when under pressure that went beyond Brill’s left reach.

Orient’s first half woes prompted one change at half time – winger Maguire-Drew replaced defender Happe as the hosts switched to 4-4-2.

If anything, the change set Orient back further - initially.

Maguire-Drew gifted Town possession twice in the half’s first five minutes, before Isgrove spectacularly struck the crossbar when shooting 20 yards out.

Maguire-Drew recovered, and would've had a clear cut chance of his own had it not been for Rose's late header that cut out Wright’s cross from the right. 

Orient’s goalscoring opportunity certainly didn’t hold Town back in their search for a fourth. Yates went close at the near post before Doyle’s advances from a through ball on the hour mark were held back by the Ekpiteta’s dogged marking.

The changes kept coming for Orient – Clay and Angol made way for Gorman and Dennis.

But whatever Embleton did to impact the game did little to his side’s performance.

Eoin Doyle had a goal disallowed when his powerful drive from inside the area took a wicked deflection off of Yates – that was before Anderson should’ve added a fourth when he was sent through on goal, Brill’s reaction save denied Town’s No.10 a second.

But with 20 minutes remaining, the tide started to turn. 

Orient went close to scoring on 72 minutes. Wilkinson struck McCormick’s left post after he received the ball on the edge of the penalty area following a momentary episode of pinball.

Home fans’ groans then turned into cheers moments later – Maguire-Drew comfortably curled a left-footed effort beyond McCormick’s right reach to reduce the visitors’ advantage to two goals with 16 minutes remaining.

Furthermore, Dennis’ thunderous drive on the half-volley from 20 yards threatened to set up a tense final 10 minutes. But the ball whistled inches wide of McCormick’s top right corner.

Dennis watched another chance go begging in the game's closing minutes. 

But Orient's late efforts to salvage what would have been an undeserved point went without reward - Town meanwhile moved onto 14 points from seven games. 

Leyton Orient: Dean Brill, Sam Ling, Joe Widdowson, Marvin Ekpiteta, Josh Coulson, Craig Clay (Dale Gorman, 60’), Conor Wilkinson, Dan Happe (Jordan Maguire-Drew, 45’), James Brophy, Lee Angol (Louis Dennis, 65’), Josh Wright.

Swindon Town: Luke McCormick; Rob Hunt, Mathieu Baudry, Dion Conroy (c), Ellis Iandolo; Lloyd Isgrove (Kaiyne Woolery, 85’), Danny Rose, Jordan Lyden (Anthony Grant, 35’), Keshi Anderson (Adam May, 90'); Eoin Doyle, Jerry Yates.