Crewe Alexandra 0 - 2 Leyton Orient
Coca-Cola League One

TAMIKA MKANDAWIRE and Adam Boyd were on target as Orient moved out of the bottom four with a vital 2-0 victory at Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.

It was just reward for a dominant second half from the visitors and Boyd's stunning strike even had the home supporters on their feet.

Orient's solid backline was again in evidence and their third successive clean sheet was a big factor in their success.

Back-to-back league wins have taken the O's out of the relegation zone and they will now have their sights on the teams in mid-table.

Orient had the ball in the net with 15 minutes on the clock, but their joy was short lived as the referee ruled out Sam Parkin's header from a Sean Thornton corner for a foul on goalkeeper Steve Collis by Brian Saah.

The visitors' next flag kick also caused the Alex defence problems and Boyd diverted Thornton's delivery over with a deft header.

Martin Ling was forced to make a defensive reshuffle on 28 minutes when Brian Saah limped off with an injury.  Alton Thelwell came on to replace the young O's defender.

Glenn Morris was called upon to make his first save on 36 minutes when a neat passing movement from the hosts gave Tom Pope a sight of goal from the edge of the box.  Morris was equal to his shot, diving to his left to parry the ball away.

The O's broke immediately and Collis had to make an equally important save to deny Boyd after Jason Demetriou laid the ball back to the striker on the edge of the area.

It had been a half of few chances and Julien Baudet may have done better from 18 yards after Orient only cleared John Brayford's free kick as far as the Crewe defender. He rushed the shot and knocked it harmlessly wide.

The first chance of the second half fell to Crewe's Stuart Green, who fired wide of the near post after the ball broke to him 20 yards from goal.

But it was Orient who made the breakthrough on 55 when Thornton moved in from the left channel before threading a pass through to Mkandawire, who had time to pick his spot and drill into the bottom left corner.

Crewe looked to step up the pace as they searched for an equaliser and Stephen Purches did well to deflect Clayton Donaldson's 15-yard shot behind for a corner after 63 minutes.

But Orient settled and wasted a glorious chance to double their lead midway through the half when Parkin planted a free header wide at the far post following Thornton's corner.

And with the confidence drained from Crewe's players and their supporters losing their patience, Orient took advantage with a screamer of a second goal on 74.

Boyd was allowed to run with the ball towards goal and he unleashed a stunning 20-yard drive that flew past Collis and into the top corner.

Orient were in total control and Sean Thornton sent a free kick into the side netting ten minutes from time.

Crewe winger Joel Grant had the chance to make Orient sweat late on, but he scooped well over from close range.

Morris also brilliantly saved Anthony Elding's header as the visitors saw out time to record a vital three points.

Crewe: Collis; Brayford, Baudet, Lawrence, Jones; Green, Bailey, O'Connor, Grant; Donaldson (Miller 76), Pope (Elding 76)
Subs: Woodards, O'Donnell, Murphy

Booked: Grant, O'Connor

Leyton Orient: Morris; Purches, Mkandawire, Saah (Thelwell 28), Granville; Melligan, Chambers, Thornton, Demetriou; Boyd, Parkin
Subs: Morgan, Jones (GK), Terry, Jarvis

Booked: Saah

Goals: Mkandawire 55, Boyd 74

Referee: Phil Gibbs (West Midlands)

Attendance: 3,872 (291 away)