Bristol Rovers 1 - 2 Leyton Orient
Coca-Cola League 1

ORIENT got the 2009/10 season off to a perfect start with a 2-1 victory at Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

Goals from JJ Melligan and Jimmy Smith secured an opening day victory over the Memorial Stadium club - Orient's third first day win in a row.

Melligan's 40th minute goal was reward for an excellent first half, but Rickie Lambert's instant leveller pegged the O's back.

Orient weren't so effective after the break, but they still forced the breakthrough and Smith's well-executed volley gave them a hard earned three point haul.

Ryan Jarvis, starting up front alongside Scott McGleish after an impressive pre-season, had a great chance to give Orient a 13th minute lead, but home stopper Fraser Forster denied him from close range after initially spilling Charlie Daniels' free kick.

Jarvis went close again a minute later, shooting just wide from 18 yards after being fed by Jason Demetriou.

Seven minutes later Rickie Lambert nodded wide from a good position following Carl Regan's cross, while the same player forced a save from Jamie Jones with a free kick.

But Orient were in the ascendancy and Melligan curled a shot inches wide of the mark with 36 minutes on the clock.

Four minutes later the Irishman went one better when he arrived at the far post to convert after Jarvis got in down the left and crossed low for McGleish to touch on.

The lead was not to last long though, Lambert equalising on 44 when Jeff Hughes' shot deflected off Ben Chorley and into his path.

It was a blow for the visitors, who enjoyed the better of the opening period and they were slow out of the traps after half time.

Two minutes after the restart Kuffour wasted a glorious chance to give Rovers the lead when Hughes collected a ball over the top, drew Tamika Mkandawire across and passed square for the striker.

Kuffour only had Jones to beat but shot straight at the O's stopper and the visitors breathed a sigh of relief.

Orient weren't making the same kind of impression as before the break, but when they did manage to get the ball into an attacking area with 67 minutes on the clock, they used it with devastating effect.

There didn't seem much danger for the home side when Byron Anthony headed away Melligan's cross, but Smith took the ball on his chest and sent a looping volley beyond Forster's grasp and into the top corner.

Rovers were stung and they were unable to respond with Ben Chorley and Mkandawire in imperious form at the back.

Stephen Purches got in a brilliant last ditch tackle to deny Kuffour near the end, but that aside the visitors were largely untroubled as they got their 2009/10 campaign off to a flyer.

Bristol Rovers: Forster; Regan, Anthony, Coles, Lescott; Pipe, Campbell, Lines (Blizzard 70), Hughes (Duffy 70); Kuffour, Lambert
Subs: Phillips (GK), Williams, Hunt, Rigg, Reece

Goal: Lambert 44

Booked: Kuffour

Leyton Orient: Jones; Purches, Chorley, Mkandawire, Daniels; Melligan, Smith, Thornton, Demetriou; McGleish (Scowcroft 66), Jarvis
Subs: Morris (GK), Ashworth, Cave-Brown, Pires, Patulea, Townsend

Goals: Melligan 40, Smith 67

Booked: Thornton, Chorley, Jones

Referee: Graham Salisbury

Attendance: 7,745 (508 away)