Leyton Orient 0 Colchester United 1

COLCHESTER United recorded their first victory of 2012, thanks to an own goal by Terrell Forbes at Essex rivals Leyton Orient this afternoon.

The winner arrived on 28 minutes, the ball coming off defender Forbes – although Ian Henderson might yet claim the goal as his own – and that was enough to take the points.

Gavin Massey ran at the O’s defence and released Karl Duguid down the right wing.

His low cross into the six-yard box appeared at first to be bundled home by the onrushing Ian Henderson, but the major contact came off defender Forbes and was sufficient for the ball to roll into an unguarded net.

It was the U’s first win in four matches, since a home success over Exeter City on New Year’s Eve.

There was a full U’s debut for Watford loanee Massey, although he was employed on the left wing rather than up front in a 4-4-3 formation.

Henderson was selected as the lone striker with Steven Gillespie, who had scored in the previous two matches, relegated to the bench.

The O’s dominated possession for large periods early on, and keeper Ben Williams had to be at his best to block a goalbound shot by Colchester old boy Kevin Lisbie after seven minutes.

But Henderson’s close-range goal put the U’s in the driving seat, just before the half-hour mark, and the visitors’ lead was rarely threatened before half-time.

Lisbie did cause a nuisance for the U’s defence with a superb run, from the half-way line into the penalty area, on 42 minutes.

He turned Magnus Okuonghae and burst clear, before ending up on the deck inside the box, with Tom Eastman and Okuonghae in close attendance. The O’s subsequent appeals for a penalty were turned down by referee Mark Haywood.

Two minutes into the second-half and Massey should really have doubled the lead for the visitors.

Winger Massey did all the hard work, by rounding keeper Lee Butcher, but he could not steer his final shot into an empty net. Instead, the ball ricocheted off the far post. It was a bad miss.

Although they could not find a second goal, the U’s defended stoically for the rest of the game and Williams was hardly forced to make a save of any note.

At the other end, two smart saves by Butcher, both from Lloyd James, ensured it was a nervous last few minutes for the U’s.

Squads

LEYTON ORIENT: Butcher, Forbes, Cuthbert, Leacock, McSweeney, Smith (sub Porter, 64), Spring, Laird, Cox, Lisbie (sub Tehoue, 78), Mooney (sub Cureton, 64). Unused subs: Chorley, Chicksen.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Williams, Wilson, Okuonghae, Eastman, White, James, Izzet, Wordsworth, Duguid, Henderson, Massey (sub Odejayi, 75). Unused subs: Rose, Gillespie, Bond, Coker.

Referee: Mr Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire)

Attendance: 4,659