Leyton Orient secured their first league victory of the season, with a comfortable 3-0 home victory over Stevenage at The Matchroom Stadium.
Orient gained an early a two goal cushion in the first half, through Gavin Massey’s strike for the advantage.
Dean Cox got the second with a superb header to dismantle a struggling Stevenage in the opening half.
Massey grabbed his brace for his third goal in three games in the second half, to deny Stevenage any chance of a revival as the O’s secured their first victory of the season.
Andy Hessenthaler made four changes to his side that were defeated 1-0 by Newport County at Brisbane Road on Saturday.
Ollie Palmer, Sean Clohessy and Captain Robert Weir all moved to the bench with Paul McCallum not in the squad due to a knee injury as Nigel Atangana, Nicky Hunt, Harry Cornick and Jay Simpson all started for the O’s.
The visitors nearly scored within the second minutes, as former O’s midfielder Jobi McAnuff was slotted in but for a firm hand down to his right by Alex Cisak.
After a mistake by the hosts, Matt Godden was played through on goal and he lifted it over the rushing Cisak which was hooked off the line by Hunt.
Massey burst down the left into the box to cross, after good work from Sandro Semedo for Cox who headed over the bar.
Orient took the lead 20 minutes in, with Cox to whip a daring low ball across the box for Jay Simpson who’s shot was saved by Jamie Jones. The rebound then came to Harry Cornick to head against the post, which then fell to Massey who struck home on the third attempt for his second goal of the season.
The visitors then had a chance to level, through Mcanuff but he unselfishly tried to square the ball across goal which almost fell to Tom Conlon, until Semedo slid in and cleared the danger at the far post.
The hosts doubled their lead eight minutes from the break, as Cornick’s cross on the touchline was met by Cox to power a header just inside the box which came off the inside of the post and in.
Orient nearly put the match beyond doubt, as Cornick’s over hit cross was spilled by Jones under no pressure, which was picked up by Massey to cut inside and his shot was desperately blocked by Stevenage to deny a third.
In the second half, Stevenage had a chance to get back into the match, as a high ball was won by Godden fell to Macnuff whose shot on the volley went wide of the target.
The O’s secured the three points with 15 minutes to go for Massey’s second of the evening, as substitute Jordan Bowery burst down the right to drill a low ball across goal, which found its way to Massey to fire in from close range.
Cisak held on to his clean sheet in the closing minutes, Stevenage substitute Dale Gorman shot was stopped as Orient now move up to mid table.
Leyton Orient Lineup: 1 Alex Cisak, 4 Liam Kelly ©, 6 Tom Parkes, 7 Dean Cox (66), 11 Gavin Massey, 15 Nigel Atangana (50), 16 Nicky Hunt, 20 Harry Cornick, 22 Sandro Semedo, 27 Jay Simpson (74), 37 Yvan Erichot
Substitutes: 2 Sean Clohessy, 3 Callum Kennedy, 8 Robert Weir (45), 9 Ollie Palmer (74), 21 Jordan Bowery (66), 24 Sam Sergeant, 45 Armand Gnanduillet
Stevenage Lineup: 1 Jamie Jones, 25 Ronnie Henry ©, 6 Luke Wilkinson, 5 Fraser Franks, 3 Andrew Fox, 32 Tom Conlon (66), 18 Michael Tonge, 22 Charlie Lee (45), 7 Jobi McAnuff, 24 Matthew Godden, 14 Ben Kennedy (45)
Substitutes: 16 Chis Day, 11 Tom Pett, 26 Shaun Donnellan, 20 Connor Hunte (66), 15 Jake Hyde, 9 Rowan Liburd (45), 17 Dale Gorman (45)
Attendance: 3,774 (304)