Leyton Orient earned a slight advantage going into the second leg of their FA Trophy semi-final tie with AFC Telford United on Saturday 23 March. Thanks to a second-half goal from Macauley Bonne, they won 1-0 at the Breyer Group Stadium.
Orient are enjoying a successful season. Sitting atop the Conference Premier their attention shifted to the FA Trophy as they seek a league and cup double this season. Success in both competitions would mark both the first time that the O’s were able to achieve a double-winning season and their first FA Trophy win.
Telford are enjoying a good season themselves. They currently occupy the final playoff position in the National League North. If they are able to overcome the first leg deficit, it would cap a great cup run and could provide them with the momentum needed to succeed in the playoffs.
It was the home side who dominated much of proceedings, but were wasteful in the opening 45 minutes. They missed a plethora of good chances to take the game by the scruff of the neck, the first of which fell to striker Bonne. Telford keeper Andy Wycherley parried a Dale Gorman into the path of the attacker only to be tamely headed wide of the goal.
Again, Bonne was the culprit of wasting chances, after a strong Jobie McAnuff effort was spilled by Wycherley. Bonne was able to bring the ball under control just outside the six-yard box. When it looked easier to score than miss, he somehow managed to blaze his effort high and wide into the away supporters.
The first half was not plain sailing for the home side though as Marvin Ekpiteta – the hero in their 1-0 win over Wrexham that saw them move back to top of the table – made a last-ditch block to keep out Darryl Knights’ effort.
Bonne made it a hat-trick of missed chances when he managed to earn half a yard of space in the box following a corner, but his shot on the turn was blocked from point-blank range by Theo Streete.
It was much of the same as the second half got underway, and it did not take long for the host’s domination to pay off. Jamie Turley’s cross from the right wing was knocked down to Bonne by his strike partner Matt Harold. This time he made no mistake, drilling a low shot into the corner on the turn, marking his 21st goal of the season in all competitions.
Orient were never really tested in the second half. McAnuff had a header cleared off the line as they sought out a priceless second goal. Although it never materialised, the O’s will feel confident heading into the second leg as Dean Brill had little to do throughout the afternoon.
The win marks their sixth in a row in all competitions as they gain momentum heading into the last eight games of the season. Head Coach Justin Edinburgh, while happy with the performance, was disappointed that their advantage going into the second leg was not bigger. He said: “The final pass and the final finish could have been a little bit better.”
The lead, though, should be enough to see them through to their next trip to Wembley. This would be their first time back since their 2014 League One playoff final defeat, when they lost via a penalty shootout against Rotherham United.
