Old boys Mooney and Lisbie sink the U’s

David Mooney and Kevin Lisbie returned to haunt their old club, both scoring in Leyton Orient’s 2-1 win at Colchester this afternoon.

It was the O’s first league win at Colchester for 62 years, and it also secured a best ever start to a league campaign by the Brisbane Road club – five wins out of five.

The O’s broke the deadlock in the 13th minute with a clinical display of finishing by Mooney.

Dean Cox’s through ball opened up the U’s rearguard, and Mooney did well to control the ball and then crash home an unstoppable shot from eight yards out, past an exposed Sam Walker.

Just as Mooney had scored against his old club, so Jabo Ibehre followed suit at the other end in the 35th minute.

Craig Eastmond was the creator. The former Arsenal midfielder appeared to be blocked, on the edge of the box, but the ball tricked through for Ibehre to turn and sweep past Jamie Jones from 12 yards out.

The O’s regained the lead in the 63rd minute. Cox was again the instigator, crossing deep to the far post, where Lisbie rose highest to head home from close-in.

And Lisbie’s fifth goal of the season proved to be the winning goal.

U’s boss Joe Dunne made one change to the side that drew 1-1 with Carlisle last Friday week, but two changes to his formation.

Brian Wilson missed out due to ill health, although Ryan Dickson returned after his own illness.

Tosin Olufemi therefore kept his place in the side, although he switched from left-back to his more natural right-back position, to accommodate Dickson on the left.

The O’s settled early and Magnus Okunghae had to stretch out a boot to divert David Mooney’s dangerous cross around his near post to concede a second minute corner.

The hosts threatened first on eight minutes. Sanchez Watt let fly from 20 yards out with a low drive that took a deflection before finding its way into the arms of keeper Jamie Jones.

Two minutes later and Jones was forced into a harder save, again from Watt. The ex-Arsenal winger’s measured shot was palmed away by the O’s keeper, at full stretch, following Eastmond’s lay-off.

It was a very open start, from both teams, and former O’s striker Ibehre ballooned a header over the bar from Dickson’s teasing cross in the 12th minute.

However, just 60 seconds later and it was the O’s who went ahead, thanks to Mooney’s smart finish from Cox’s through ball. It was his fifth goal of the season.

And the East Londoners were unlucky not to increase their lead inside the first half-hour.

Lisbie enjoyed acres of space as he homed in on goal from the left flank. He had just Walker to beat, but the U’s keeper did well to push the shot over his bar.

Walker also did well to deny livewire Cox, reacting well to smother at the feet of the winger.

But, against the run of play, Ibehre swept home the equaliser in the 35th minute, for his second goal of the campaign.

Watt had been the U’s best player in the first half, and he was not far adrift with a 20-yarder that slid just the wrong side of the post in the 43rd minute.

Into the second period and Mooney came close to his second goal, when flashing a header wide from Cox’s 54th minute delivery.

But his strike-force partner, Lisbie, made no mistake as he nodded the O’s in front just nine minutes later, from Cox’s deep cross.

Dunne made a double substitution in the 71st minute, with Drey Wright and Alex Gilbey replacing Gavin Massey and David Wright.

And Drey Wright was quickly in the action, bursting into the box and firing in an angled shot that was deflected wide of the near post.

Magnus Okuonghae’s effort, from the ensuing corner, was diverted over the bar, and the U’s then had a goal ruled out for offside when Ibehre helped Watt’s shot over the line from point blank range.

If Ibehre hadn’t touched it, Watt’s shot would still probably have gone in, and then the goal would have stood.

Substitute Clinton Morrison turned and lifted a shot over the bar on 81 minutes, as the U’s searched for a late equaliser.

The home side also had penalty appeals turned down in the 84th minute, when Drey Wright appeared to be dragged down by Scott Cuthbert. But referee Andy Woolmer was not convinced.

COLCHESTER: Walker, Olufemi, Okuonghae, Eastman, Dickson, David Wright (sub Gilbey, 71), Eastmond, Massey (sub Drey Wright, 71), Sears (sub Morrison, 78), Watt, Ibehre. Unused subs: Cousins, Thompson, Bond, Spence.

LEYTON ORIENT: Jones, Omozusi, Cuthbert, Baudry, Clarke, Vincelot, Cox, James (sub Bartley, 78), Odubajo, Lisbie (sub Batt, 76), Mooney. Unused subs: Larkins, Lee, Vanderhyde, Gorman.

Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northants)

Attendance: 5,056 (away 1,645)