Dagenham & Redbridge 1 - 4 Leyton Orient
Pre-Season Friendly

ADAM BOYD scored twice as Orient came from behind to romp to a 4-1 victory at near neighbours Dagenham & Redbridge on Wednesday night.

The Daggers stunned Orient before the break when they took the lead through Ben Strevens, but Martin Ling's men fought back superbly and were good value for the margin of victory.

JJ Melligan celebrated being taken off the transfer list this week by nodding home the O's leveller before Boyd weighed in with his double to take the game away from the hosts.

On loan Spurs youngster Simon Dawkins wrapped up the scoring 11 minutes from time and the Brisbane Road club would have been delighted with their evening's work.

Boyd started and ended the move that led to the game's first real chance with 15 minutes on the clock.  The O's striker knocked a fine ball out to Melligan on the right flank, who fed the ball in to Sean Thornton to lay back to Boyd.

His measured shot needed a decent save from Daggers stopper Tony Roberts and he touched the ball over the top to keep the score at 0-0.

Three minutes later Boyd had another decent chance to break the deadlock when Melligan chased down a poor backpass from Scott Griffiths and cut the ball back to the former Hartlepool striker.  He couldn't test Roberts though, sending his effort past the far post.

The O's had taken over the game and Thornton was next to go close, sending a free-kick just wide of the mark on 21.

But Dagenham's Strevens so nearly delivered the perfect riposte a minute later when he beat the offside line to reach Sam Saunders' through ball and fire against the crossbar.

With 28 minutes on the clock, Dagenham struck the O's woodwork again when Mark Arber turned Saunders' free-kick onto the upright.

Dagenham's pressure told a minute later though, when Strevens bundled the ball home from close range at the second attempt after left winger Dominic Green advanced into the box and crossed low for the striker, whose initial shot bounced off Glenn Morris' chest before falling perfectly for the rebound.

The home side continued to threaten and Morris got back well to turn Strevens' attempted lob over the bar when his run created space in the right hand channel for a shot.

Orient tried to respond, and they came within a whisker of equalising two minutes before the break when Jason Demetriou poked a right-footed effort against the post.

The O's began the second period with a real bang and were level two minutes after the restart with a well-worked goal.

Half time sub Simon Dawkins - on for his first appearance in O's colours - was involved in spreading the ball left to Demetriou, who stood up a perfect cross for Melligan to nod home at the far post.

Eight minutes later Dawkins arrived late into the box to nod Melligan's clipped cross just over the bar and Melligan was again involved as Orient took the lead on 59.

He popped up on the right and flicked the ball onto Jon Nurse's arm as he tried to go round him.  The assistant referee flagged for a penalty and Boyd made no mistake from 12 yards, drilling into the roof of the net.

At the other end, Solomon Taiwoo sent a free kick over the bar and Paul Benson shot wide in quick succession, but Orient remained in control and Demetriou fired a shot across the face of goal after carrying the ball a long way in a quick O's break.

With 66 minutes on the clock, Dawkins should have made it three when he used his pace to burst on to Boyd's incisive pass but could only shoot wide with Roberts to beat.

Four minutes later the O's did grab their third when Dawkins fed Boyd to lash a super left-footed volley beyond the grasp of Roberts and into the top corner.

The visitors were showing their class and Dawkins grabbed a deserved goal 11 minutes from time when he again received possession from Boyd and this time kept his cool to beat Roberts

Solomon Shields rattled the crossbar late on as Orient searched for a fifth, but in the end they had to settle for four and a very satisfying workout.

Dagenham: Tony Roberts; Aaron Frey (Jon Boardman 46), Mark Arber, Anwar Uddin, Scott Griffiths; Sam Saunders (Richard Graham 53), Peter Gain (Glen Southam 53), Solomon Taiwo, Dominic Green (Jon Nurse 53); Paul Benson, Ben Strevens (Mark Nwokeji 53)

Goal: Strevens 29

Orient: Glenn Morris (Jamie Jones 59); Stephen Purches (Andrew Cave-Brown 76), Brian Saah, Chris Robson (Aiden Palmer 46), Danny Granville (Patrick O'Donnell 79); JJ Melligan (Loick Pires 59), Sean Thornton (Paul Terry 46), Jason Demetriou (Solomon Shields 70), Bradley Gray (Adam Chambers 46); Adam Boyd, Wayne Gray (Simon Dawkins 46)

Goals: Melligan 47, Boyd pen 59, 70, Dawkins 79

Attendance: 1,006