Match Report: Leyton Orient 0-1 Morecambe
PAUL Mullin's fourth league goal of the season earned the Shrimps a vital victory over struggling Orient.
Mullin scored a fantastic individual goal on 72 minutes to earn the Shrimps their first ever win over Orient at the fourth attempt and saw them 10 points clear of the bottom two.
Boss Jim Bentley made two changes to the side that drew 1-1 at Doncaster on Saturday with Michael Duckworth making an impressive first appearance for the Shrimps and Dean Winnard recalled after suspension.
On a day when the players heard they had been paid for January the Shrimps produced another fine performance and won the game with a fantastic strike as Mullin worked his way past three players and took a step to get away from Nicky Hunt before letting fly with a stunning strike from 25 yards out that gave young goalkeeper Sam Sargeant no chance.
Both sides looked threatening in the first half and both sides played some decent football but although Morecambe had a goal disallowed it was Orient who had the better chances.
Central defender Tom Parkes came closest to taking the lead in the 37th minute when he hit the post from close range after an Orient corner when he should have done better.
Barry Roche also made a superb save to deny the in form Gavin Massey with a brilliant save and the Shrimps’ stopper had to be alert again in the closing stages of the half when Parkes again had a decent chance.
The Shrimps’ best effort of note came when they had a goal disallowed when Peter Murphy was adjudged to have fouled home keeper Sargeant before he poked the ball home for close range..
From there Mullin’s cross found Kevin Ellison but the veteran striker failed to get a shot on target when he should have done better.
After a patchy first half the Shrimps started the second period sharply Aaron Wildig heading just over from an Ellison cross on 49 minutes before Orient found their feet with Ricardo Semedo firing straight at Barry Roche after good work from Massey.
From there it was Morecambe who looked the more threatening wirh Lee Molyneux testing Sargeant who saved at the second attempt before Ellison had a great chance when played in by Mullin only to see his effort superbly saved by the home keeper.
Mullin then played in a great ball for Rhys Turner but the substitute failed to find the target moments before Wildig looked set for a free effort on goal only to be denied by a brilliant covering tackle from Miles Judd.
Then Mullin produced the moment that mattered and from there Jim Bentley's side didn't look back as they defended superbly and maintained their unbeaten start to 2017 with a memorable win.
Orient: Sargeant, Judd, Erichot, Parkes, Hunt, Massey, Collins (rep Koroma 89), Atangana, Semedo, Dalby (rep Liburd 77), Adeboyejo (rep Kelly 89),
Subs not used: Grainger, Moore, Mezague, Clark.
Booked: Semedo, Collins,
Morecambe: Roche, Whitmore, Edwards, Winnard, Duckworth, Rose (rep Kenyon 72), Murphy, Molyneux (rep Turner 66), Wildig, Mullin (rep McGowan 81), Ellison.
Subs not used: Nizic, Evans, Wakefield, Conlan.
Booked: Mullin, McGowan.
Att: 2,660 (58)
Ref: J Brookes.