Lee Cook and Dean Cox were on target as Leyton Orient halted Walsall's climb to the League One play-off zone.

Cook latched onto Kevin Lisbie's header before smashing a left-footed drive past home goalkeeper Karl Darlow.

Cox then hammered the second from the halfway line over Darlow, who was off his line, for a 2-0 lead at the break.

Will Grigg's penalty made it 2-1 after Gary Sawyer's foul on Ben Purkiss and Walsall nearly snatched a point, but Andy Butler hit the post.

After winning four of their previous five matches, the defeat drops Walsall down to ninth in League One, while the O's move up to 12th.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Walsall manager Dean Smith told BBC WM:

"I said to the lads at half-time 'Who's going to be my Ian Poulter'? Go and be Europe v the USA. And they very nearly did it.

"I've just seen a video of the penalty we should have had, which could and should have made it 2-2, one's blocked, one hits the post and their keeper's made a couple of good saves.

"But I'll accept defeats playing like that. And I think the supporters will too. They applauded us off at the end as they could see what we trying to do.

"We totally bossed the game. The only thing missing was the goals. They scored with their first attack and their second one was from the halfway line. "

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (6)

Walsall

  • 27 Darlow
  • 04 Butler
  • 05 Holden
  • 14 Purkiss (Taundry - 89' )
  • 26 Taylor
  • 06 Featherstone Booked
  • 08 Cuvelier Booked
  • 24 Baxendale (Brandy - 75' )
  • 09 Grigg
  • 10 Paterson (Hemmings - 80' )
  • 17 Bowerman

Substitutes

  • 01 Grof
  • 02 Taundry
  • 22 Downing
  • 11 Hemmings
  • 16 Jones
  • 12 Brandy
  • 15 Taylor

Leyton Orient

  • 16 Allsopp
  • 03 Sawyer
  • 04 Chorley
  • 15 Clarke
  • 02 McSweeney
  • 07 Cox (Baudry - 70' Booked )
  • 08 Griffith
  • 11 Smith
  • 21 Cook (Odubajo - 62' Booked )
  • 22 Rowlands (Brunt - 62' )
  • 09 Lisbie

Substitutes

  • 06 Baudry
  • 14 Laird
  • 17 Odubajo
  • 23 James
  • 10 Symes
  • 26 Brunt
  • 39 Mooney
Ref: Bond
Att: 3,281

Match Stats

Shots

12 12

On target

2 7

Corners

7 8

Fouls

12 14

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +5:25 Full time

Full Time The referee ends the match.

90:00 +3:20

Inswinging corner taken by Richard Taundry from the left by-line, clearance by Anthony Griffith.

90:00 +1:01

Richard Taundry takes a shot. Ryan Brunt gets a block in. Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Richard Taundry from the right by-line, clearance made by Ben Chorley.

90:00 +0:40

Foul by Mathieu Baudry on Andy Butler, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Ashley Hemmings.

89:44

Shot from just outside the area by Andy Butler misses to the right of the target.

88:01 Substitution

Substitution (Walsall) makes a substitution, with Richard Taundry coming on for Ben Purkiss.

87:29

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ben Purkiss by Ryan Brunt. Karl Darlow restarts play with the free kick.

83:34

Foul by Nathan Clarke on George Bowerman, free kick awarded. Ben Purkiss fires a strike on goal direct from the free kick, Nathan Clarke gets a block in. Ben Purkiss takes a shot. Foul by Ben Purkiss on Gary Sawyer, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Ryan Allsop. Outswinging corner taken by Moses Odubajo from the left by-line. Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ashley Hemmings by Kevin Lisbie. Ben Purkiss restarts play with the free kick. Nicky Featherstone handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Free kick taken by Ryan Allsop.

79:09

The referee blows for offside against Ryan Brunt. Karl Darlow takes the free kick. Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Gary Sawyer from the right by-line. Gary Sawyer is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Karl Darlow. Free kick awarded for a foul by Febian Brandy on Gary Sawyer. Ryan Allsop takes the free kick.

79:09 Substitution

Substitution Ashley Hemmings is brought on as a substitute for Jamie Paterson.

79:09 Booking

Booking Moses Odubajo goes into the book.

78:00 Booking

Booking Florent Cuvelier receives a yellow card.

77:45

Foul by Florent Cuvelier on Anthony Griffith, free kick awarded. Ben Chorley takes the free kick.

77:19

Effort from outside the penalty area by Moses Odubajo goes wide left of the goal.

76:55

Andy Taylor has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the left-hand post.

76:13

Ben Purkiss restarts play with the free kick.

76:13 Booking

Booking The referee shows Mathieu Baudry a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

75:54

Will Grigg fouled by Mathieu Baudry, the ref awards a free kick.

74:57 Substitution

Substitution (Walsall) makes a substitution, with Febian Brandy coming on for James Baxendale.

74:17

Free kick awarded for a foul by Andy Butler on Kevin Lisbie. Ben Chorley takes the direct free kick.

72:11

Andy Butler concedes a free kick for a foul on Ryan Brunt. Free kick taken by Ryan Allsop.

71:50

Kevin Lisbie challenges Nicky Featherstone unfairly and gives away a free kick. Andy Taylor takes the free kick.

68:51

Andy Butler concedes a free kick for a foul on Anthony Griffith. Ryan Allsop takes the direct free kick.

68:51 Substitution

Substitution Dean Cox leaves the field to be replaced by Mathieu Baudry.

68:51

Corner taken by Jamie Paterson from the right by-line,

68:24

Kevin Lisbie takes a shot. Karl Darlow makes a save.

64:56

Jamie Paterson takes a shot. Save made by Karl Darlow. Andy Butler fouled by Kevin Lisbie, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Dean Holden. Jamie Paterson takes a shot. Save made by Ryan Allsop. Ryan Brunt takes a shot. Karl Darlow makes a save.

63:54

Corner taken by Gary Sawyer, clearance made by Will Grigg.

61:04

Corner from left by-line taken by Jamie Paterson.

61:04 Substitution

Substitution Ryan Brunt is brought on as a substitute for Martin Rowlands.

61:04 Substitution

Substitution Lee Cook goes off and Moses Odubajo comes on.

61:04

The assistant referee signals for offside against Kevin Lisbie. Karl Darlow takes the indirect free kick.

60:24

Lee Cook takes the inswinging corner, clearance by Will Grigg.

56:33

Gary Sawyer concedes a Penalty for a foul on Ben Purkiss.

58:25

The official flags George Bowerman offside. Ryan Allsop takes the indirect free kick.

57:33 Goal scored

Goal - Will Grigg - Walsall 1 - 2 Leyton O Placed penalty scored by Will Grigg. Walsall 1-2 Leyton Orient.

56:33

Andy Taylor fouled by Dean Cox, the ref awards a Penalty.

54:11

Foul by Kevin Lisbie on Andy Butler, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Andy Butler.

53:11

Unfair challenge on Lee Cook by Nicky Featherstone results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Ben Chorley.

51:50

Leon McSweeney handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Florent Cuvelier takes the direct free kick.

49:52

The referee blows for offside. Indirect free kick taken by Andy Butler.

48:57

Direct free kick taken by Ryan Allsop.

48:57 Booking

Booking The referee books Nicky Featherstone for unsporting behaviour.

48:51

Unfair challenge on Anthony Griffith by Nicky Featherstone results in a free kick.

46:32

Unfair challenge on James Baxendale by Nathan Clarke results in a free kick. Andy Taylor takes the direct free kick.

45:01

The referee starts the second half.

44:53

Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Dean Cox. Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Ben Chorley from the right by-line. Shot from just outside the box by Martin Rowlands misses to the right of the goal. Foul by Jamie Paterson on Martin Rowlands, free kick awarded. Ryan Allsop restarts play with the free kick.

45:00 +3:10 Half time

Half Time The ref blows to end the first period.

44:53

Corner from left by-line taken by Dean Cox. Andy Butler takes a inswinging corner. Shot from just outside the box by Martin Rowlands misses to the right of the goal. Jamie Paterson challenges Martin Rowlands unfairly and gives away a free kick. Ryan Allsop takes the free kick.

44:35

Kevin Lisbie takes a shot. Nicky Featherstone gets a block in.

43:11

Lee Cook is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Andy Butler.

41:47

The official flags Will Grigg offside. Ryan Allsop restarts play with the free kick.

40:22

Free kick awarded for a foul by Dean Holden on Kevin Lisbie. Dean Cox takes the free kick.

39:10

Jamie Paterson takes a shot. Blocked by Nathan Clarke.

38:12

Dean Cox challenges Andy Taylor unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Andy Taylor.

36:30

Gary Sawyer gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on James Baxendale. Ben Purkiss restarts play with the free kick.

32:48

Corner taken by Jamie Paterson from the left by-line, Ben Chorley takes a shot. Ben Chorley manages to make a clearance.

32:23

Corner taken right-footed by Jamie Paterson.

31:48

Jamie Paterson takes a shot. Blocked by Gary Sawyer.

28:42 Goal scored

Goal - Dean Cox - Walsall 0 - 2 Leyton O Dean Cox finds the back of the net with a goal from a long way out to the top left corner of the goal. Walsall 0-2 Leyton Orient.

26:25

The referee blows for offside against Dean Cox. Free kick taken by Andy Taylor.

25:09

Jimmy Smith gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Dean Holden. Direct free kick taken by Karl Darlow.

24:29

Jimmy Smith takes a shot. Save made by Karl Darlow.

23:13

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kevin Lisbie by Andy Taylor. Dean Cox takes the free kick.

22:12

The referee blows for offside. Indirect free kick taken by Ryan Allsop.

21:25

Dean Cox takes a shot. Karl Darlow makes a save.

19:36

Nicky Featherstone challenges Anthony Griffith unfairly and gives away a free kick. Leon McSweeney takes the free kick.

18:27

Lee Cook takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Kevin Lisbie has a headed effort at goal from close in which goes wide right of the goal.

15:58

Jamie Paterson has an effort at goal from outside the area missing to the wide left of the goal.

12:23

Free kick awarded for a foul by Martin Rowlands on Florent Cuvelier. Free kick taken by Florent Cuvelier.

10:31

Kevin Lisbie provided the assist for the goal.

10:31 Goal scored

Goal - Lee Cook - Walsall 0 - 1 Leyton O Lee Cook gets on the score sheet with a goal from just inside the area to the top left corner of the goal. Walsall 0-1 Leyton Orient.

8:21

The referee blows for offside against George Bowerman. Indirect free kick taken by Ryan Allsop.

7:39

James Baxendale produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide left of the goal.

6:05

Kevin Lisbie takes a shot. Blocked by Dean Holden.

5:17

Lee Cook takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, Florent Cuvelier manages to make a clearance.

2:18

Florent Cuvelier takes a shot. Blocked by Jimmy Smith.

0:00

The match begins.

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