Millwall 0 - 1 Leyton Orient
Coca-Cola League One

WAYNE GRAY'S second half goal gave Orient back-to-back victories for the first time since September as they saw off Millwall in a heated London derby at The Den.

The O's striker tucked home JJ Melligan's cross in the 50th minute with the visitors' first real chance of the match and that proved enough for victory.

Millwall did come back at the O's strongly - even after Marc Laird was red carded for an ugly lunge on Melligan.

Orient didn't make use of their extra man at all and the home side could count themselves unfortunate not to have taken a share of the spoils.

After a even opening to the game, Millwall created the first genuine threat of the afternoon on 12 minutes when David Martin's cross was only cleared as far as Ali Fuseini 30 yards from goal, whose fierce drive was deflected behind for a corner.

Eight minutes later, it looked as if the hosts were about to take the lead when Ryan Smith beat the offisde trap down the left, jinked his way past Alton Thelwell and fired a low ball across the six-yard box.  Brian Saah intervened with an exquisite clearing touch to keep Orient's goal intact.

The Lions had gained the upper hand and were pushing strongly for the opener, and Saah entered the referee's book eight minutes before the break for upending Smith after he had knocked the ball past him as he charged towards goal.

Millwall had enjoyed the better of the opening period, but they found creating chances more difficult and Orient would have been pleased with their defensive work.

And the hosts were given an almighty scare on 50 when defender Paul Robinson miscontrolled a long ball forward, allowing Gray to pressurise keeper Rhys Evans.  The goalkeeper's attempted clearance cannoned off Gray and span goalwards, only to bounce on the line and away to safety due to the incredible backspin on the ball.

However, the reprieve wasn't to last long as Orient worked the ball back out to the right for Melligan to cross and Gray to tuck home from close range.

Millwall's awful start to the second period got worse seven minutes later when midfielder Laird saw red after jumping in with an ugly two-footed tackle on Melligan.

The visitors were continuing to play on the break despite their numerical advantage, and Jason Demetriou created a chance for himself when he rode a challenge from Fuseini in the middle of the park and ran at Zak Whitbread.

Whitbread stood off, allowing Demetriou to get a shot away, which Evans pushed up in the air before claiming at the second attempt.

The home crowd were really getting behind their side and they were almost rewarded with a leveller with 70 when Jay Simpson unleashed a low drive from range that had Morris scrambling across his goal before pushing away to safety.

Morris then touched Whitbread's header onto the crossbar as Millwall kept up the pressure, and nine minutes from time Millwall were up in arms at referee Andy D'Urso's failure to award them a penalty when Gray appeared to drag Bas Savage down in the area when he tried to reach Neil Harris' header at the back post.

The O's had played the situation poorly, but they had the chance to wrap it up in the final minute when Jabo Ibehre nodded Gray's cross to Barcham, but the substitute couldn't get the ball out of the feet when a tap in seemed likely.

That miss wasn't to prove costly though as Orient held on for a priceless away victory, even having time for Ibehre to hit the outside of the post in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

Millwall: Evans; Senda, Whitbread, Robinson, Frampton; Simpson (Harris 75), Laird, Fuseini, Martin (Brkovic 55); Smith, Savage
Subs: Bakayogo, Edwards (GK), Bignot

Booked: Fuseini

Sent off: Laird

Leyton Orient: Morris; Chambers, Thelwell, Saah, Palmer; Melligan (Barcham 76), Terry, Thornton, Demetriou; Gray, Boyd (Ibehre 73)
Subs: Nelson (GK), Echanomi, Fortune

Goal: Gray (50)

Booked: Saah, Demetriou, Thornton

Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex)

Attendance: 10,986 (1,137 away)