Brighton & Hove Albion 0 - 2 Leyton Orient
Johnstone's Paint Trophy Southern Section Round One

DEAN COX scored on his return to the Withdean Stadium as Orient progressed to the second round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy with a 2-0 victory at Brighton & Hove Albion.

Cox, who joined the O's from Brighton in the summer, struck in the 21st minute to set the visitors on their way to a second victory of the week as they built on the weekend triumph over Exeter City in the best possible way.

The diminutive winger also hit the crossbar, but Orient had to withstand a strong finish to the first half from the home side.

They passed that test, and then quashed the Seagulls' hopes of a comeback by adding to their lead through Ryan Jarvis two minutes after the restart.

Jamie Jones then saved Glenn Murray's penalty as Brighton failed to find a route back into the match.

After a subdued start, it was the O's who lit the blue touchpaper and brought the game to life by opening the scoring on 21 minutes.

Former Brighton man Cox just had to be the man with the goal, seeing his 20-yard shot loop up off Tommy Elphick and leave goalkeeper Casper Ankergren stranded on his first return to the Withdean.

It sparked a really good spell from the visitors and Cox was a whisker away from doubling the advantage three minutes later when Stephen Dawson supplied a cross from the right and the winger met it with a terrific volley that crashed against the crossbar with Ankergren well beaten.

Orient didn't let up there, with Jarvis twice going close in quick succession. First he headed just wide after Cox crossed from a short corner, and then he volleyed straight at Ankergren following another Dawson centre.

However, Brighton came back into the game after the half hour mark. Elliott Bennett and Murray both sent shots off target before Ashley Barnes spun neatly in the box and drew a good low save from Jones on 40 minutes.

Three minutes later Barnes got in behind the O's backline and Jones made an even better save to deny the Albion striker with his right foot.

He wasn't done there, showing great agility to tip Bennett's stinging drive over in first half stoppage time.

Brighton had really upped the pressure, but Orient got to the break with their lead intact and then delivered a knockout blow just two minutes after the restart.

The hosts only had themselves to blame as terrible marking allowed Jarvis all the time and space he needed to plant a header beyond Ankergren following Matthew Spring's flighted free kick.

Albion had the chance to hit back within three minutes when Spring was harshly adjudged to have fouled Murray as he burst clear inside the O's box.

But Brighton failed to make the most of the situation as Jones dived to his left to palm Murray's penalty away.

Jimmy Smith and Adam Chambers both had close range shots blocked in the same move 20 minutes from the end, but Brighton were spending more time in O's territory as they searched for a route back into the game.

But Orient, who dropped Jarvis back into midfield and left just Alex Revell up front, gave little away, and aside from a comfortable save from Cristian Baz's 74th minute free kick, Jones was largely untested.

A second successive clean sheet was good reward for a strong performance as Orient marched on to round two.

Brighton: Ankergren, Calderón, Elphick, El-Abd (Smith 53), Painter; Dicker, Bridcutt, Sparrow; Bennett, Murray (Baz 53), Barnes (Hart 67)
Subs: Battipiedi, Walker (GK)

Booked: Bennett

Leyton Orient: Jones; Smith, Forbes, Brown, Omozusi; Chambers (Chorley 84); Dawson, Spring, Cox (Cestor 57); Téhoué (Revell 34), Jarvis
Subs: McGleish, Butcher (GK)

Goals: Cox 21, Jarvis 47

Booked: Omozusi, Brown, Spring, Smith

Referee: Iain Williamson

Attendance: 3,124 (84 away)