(Nationwide League Div Three)

LEYTON ORIENT breathed new life into their bid for automatic promotion with a thrilling victory over Plymouth Argyle at Brisbane Road on Tuesday night.>

Goal-hungry Orient in seventh heaven

Leyton Orient 4 Plymouth 3

(Nationwide League Div Three)

LEYTON ORIENT breathed new life into their bid for automatic promotion with a thrilling victory over Plymouth Argyle at Brisbane Road on Tuesday night.

Two draws and a defeat in their last three games had left Orient looking in need of a lift but this win should give them the shot in the arm they required.

Tony Richards headed home the winner in the 76th minute to settle a game where the action was relentless from the first whistle to the last.

The final score of 4-3 reflected the poor defensive display from both teams but Tommy Taylor will take away more heart from the way his side performed in front of goal.

Playing attacking football is the only way the Orient boss sees his side gaining automatic promotion and avoiding the lottery of the play-offs.

He said: "We're going for every game now. We don't want to leave spaces at the back but that's the only way. Our full backs are bombing forward and the midfield is creating a lot more too."

The O's got off to a flyer in this one, grabbing two goals in a whirlwind ten minutes. Steve Watts got the first, pouncing on a blocked Tony Richards effort from close range and just two minutes later David Morrision hit the second, hooking home a Wim Walschaerts cross with a clever finish.

Things were looking good but instead of building on this lead, Orient sat back and Plymouth began to grow in confidence.

Once the men in green realised that the Orient defence was just as fragile as their own, they poured forward. Steve Guinan pulled back one goal after a breakaway move left Matt Lockwood exposed on the left and on the stroke of half-time a Dean Smith error let Dwight Marshall in for the equaliser.

It was back to square one for the second half but not for long. Substitute Alex Inglethorpe scored with his first touch after getting on the end of a Morrison cross.

The lead lasted barely six minutes before Plymouth were level again. Ronnie Mauge got the slightest of touches on a Martin Barlow free-kick and the ball flew past Scott Barrett into the net.

Orient briefly ran out of ideas but as Plymouth pressed, Morrison found Ling in space on the right wing and he delivered the cross of his life. Richards met it at the near post and sent a looping header into the opposite corner of the net.

Plymouth attempted another comeback but the O's clung on to win three vital points.

Taylor said: "We went off at 100mph from the start to get the result we wanted. It paid off to begin with but then we dropped the pace and they came back at us.

"At half-time we said if you've got what it takes to do it, then go out and win it. If we're going to foul up then let's do it while we're attacking.

"We got the goal I was looking for straight after the break but it was disappointing to concede another one from a set play. The best goal was the last one, Richards has done ever so well for us this season."

LEYTON ORIENT: Barrett 7, Walshaerts 6 (sub: Inglethorpe, 45min, 8), Lockwood 6, Smith 6, Morrison 8, Clark 6, Ling 7, Joseph 6, Watts 8 (sub: Simba, 89min, 6), Richards 8, Beall 9.

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