Leyton Orient 0 - 1 Crewe Alexandra
Coca-Cola League One

ORIENT'S play-off hopes were dealt a demoralising blow by relegation-threatened Crewe Alexandra's smash and grab raid at Brisbane Road on Tuesday.

The O's spent the whole second half huffing and puffing, but the Crewe house would not blow down with goalkeeper Ben Williams emerging as their hero.

Nicky Maynard gave them a deserved first half lead, but Orient came out in the second period as a totally different team.

They created countless chances, but Williams stood firm to frustrate their efforts and give their bid to dodge the drop a huge boost.

Crewe's on-loan winger Gary Roberts had the first shot of the evening, forcing an excellent one handed stop from Stuart Nelson with his 20 yard free kick following a foul on Maynard in the fourth minute.

It was a lively start from the visitors and Marnard slid an effort wide after being fed in by Steven Schumacher in the ninth minute.

Two minutes later, Schumacher found space in the box to receive a pass from Gary Roberts, his central midfield partner, but Stephen Purches got across to make a superb saving tackle.

Crewe stopper Williams made his first stop on 14 minutes when the space in midfield opened up for Adam Chambers to unleash an effort from 25 yards.  It was directed at Williams, though, and the former Manchester United trainee saved comfortable.

It looked as though Crewe's pressure had paid off in the 18th minute when Roberts broke to cross for Byron Moore.  The Crewe frontman turned the ball home, but much to Orient's relief, the linesman's flag was raised for offside.

The visitors didn't have to wait long to break the deadlock though, taking advantage of some defensive indecision - just a minute after Tamika Mkandawire was forced off with injury - to move into the lead.

Ben Rix's corner was never properly cleared, and when the ball came back in, Maynard found space to finish from close range.

Orient were forced into their second substitution after just 33 minutes when Andy Barcham, struggling with a knock from Saturday, was replaced by Jason Demetriou.

The visitors' pace on the break was causing Orient no end of problems, but they almost found an equaliser on the stroke of half time when Williams got down brilliantly to block Jabo Ibehre's header.

Orient needed an improvement after the break and Adam Boyd tried to give them the perfect start, with his rising drive just clearing the Crewe crossbar.

Wayne Corden then shot at Williams after picking up a loose ball in midfield and driving towards goal.

It was a vibrant beginning to the second period from the O's and Boyd knocked Charlie Daniels' low cross wide of the mark following an incisive 51st minute break.

Orient went close again on 56, with Boyd firing goalwards after Ibehre directed Stephen Purches' free kick into his path.  Williams got in the way once more though to send the ball behind.

It was starting to look like one of those nights and, shortly afterwards, Demetriou diverted the ball inches wide after he met Wayne Corden's cross-shot at the near post.

The chances kept on coming and Williams flew across his goal to parry Ibehre's header on 67.

Orient introduced Wayne Gray from the bench as they stepped up their search for an equaliser, and he drew a fine low save from Williams 14 minutes from time with a snapshot from inside the area.

And when they did manage to beat Williams, the woodwork came to Crewe's rescue when, with 83 minutes played, Sam Oji planted a header onto the crossbar after timing his run perfectly to meet Purches' dinked pass.

There was still time for Boyd to be denied once again by Williams and Ibehre to nod over, but the equaliser just would not come and Orient were left to reflect on a frustrating evening.

Leyton Orient: Nelson; Purches, Mkandawire (Oji 24), Saah, Daniels; Barcham (Demetriou 33), Chambers, Terry, Corden (Gray 74); Ibehre, Boyd
Subs: Melligan, Morris (GK)

Booked: Daniels

Crewe: Williams; Woodards, Baudet (Abbey 59), O'Donnell, Boyle; Rix, Roberts, Schumacher, Roberts (Pope 79); Maynard, Moore (Cox 68)
Subs: Bopp, Lowe

Goal: Maynard (25)

Booked: Baudet

Referee: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire)

Attendance: 3,881 (188 away)