Leyton Orient go top of the Checkatrade Trophy Southern Group G, after a 3-1 victory over 10-man Stevenage at The Matchroom Stadium.
Stevenage’s Dean Wells saw red early on for Stevenage after a high elbow which aided to Paul McCallum’s brace with one in each half and a Sandro Semedo volley.
The away sides second half goal was only a consolation shortly after the O’s doubled their lead, as Fraser Franks scored with his head.
Andy Hessenthaler made six changes to his side that lost 2-1 at home to Mansfield at the weekend.
The visitors had the first chance of the match, as the O’s defence called for an offside that was not given on Jake Hyde – who on the turn fired a shot which was straight at Sam Sargeant.
The home side then had their first shot on target, as Semedo burst forward and his shot from range stung the hands of Jamie Jones.
Stevenage were reduced to 10-men only 13 minutes in, as Dean Wells was given his marching orders after an elbow to the face of Paul McCallum.
Orient again looked threatening as Harry Cornick stretched the Stevenage defence, he whipped a ball to the far post for Semedo to cut inside and test Jones once again who was equal to it.
Jordan Bowery was then played through on goal but he placed his shot straight at the rushing Jones who denied the striker.
Bowery again was stopped by the fingertips of Jones this time, as the ball was slipped into him inside the area and his low drilled shot was parried by a strong right hand from Jones.
On the half hour mark, Orient nearly took their deserved lead as a cross field ball from Callum Kennedy found Cornick and his strike from a tight angle hit the near post.
Orient took the lead shortly after, as Cornick again caused Stevenage problems as his cross was cleared only to McCallum in the centre of the box to volley into the top corner.
Cornick almost scored from a wonderful solo run with five minutes before the break, as he took on and beat two players but his shot from a tight angle went narrowly wide of the far upright.
McCallum was inches away from a superb goal, as his audacious overhead kick attempt from Nicky Hunt’s cross went just over the bar.
Cornick nearly capped off a superb first half performance with a goal, as the ball came to him just outside the box and his strike was kept out by another great stop from Jones.
In the second half, Orient doubled their lead just eight minutes into the second half. Just two passes undone the Stevenage backline, as Kennedy’s cross field ball to Cornick was clipped to the far post for Semedo to volley in.
Stevenage grabbed a goal back just five minutes later, as a free-kick was whipped in by Andrew Fox and met by Franks with Sargeant in no man’s land.
Orient got their third and McCallum’s second, as Cornick beat his man and squared the ball across goal for McCallum to tuck in from close range – to claim all three points.
Leyton Orient Lineup: 24 Sam Sargeant. 3 Callum Kennedy, 6 Tom Parkes, 8 Robbie Weir ©, 10 Paul McCallum, 15 Nigel Atangana (45), 16 Nicky Hunt, 20 Harry Cornick, 21 Jordan Bowery (74), 22 Sandro Semedo, 25 Aron Pollock
Substitutes: 1 Alex Cisak, 4 Liam Kelly (45), 9 Ollie Palmer, 23 Freddy Moncur, 28 Josh Koroma, 30 Sam Dalby (74), 31 Steven Alzate
Stevenage Lineup: 1 Jamie Jones, 3 Andrew Fox, 4 Jack King, 5 Fraser Franks, 11 Tom Pett, 15 Jake Hyde (59), 19 Dean Wells, 22 Charlie Lee, 23 Harry Cowans, 25 Ronnie Henry ©, 24 Matt Godden
Substitutes: 16 Chris Day, 8 Steven Schumacher, 9 Rowan Liburd, 18 Michael Tonge, 20 Connor Hunte (59), 28 Nathan Kerr, 30 Mark McKee
Attendance: 876 (47)
