​Leyton Orient 2, Yeovil Town 0

Goals in each half from lowly Leyton Orient condemned a rusty-looking Yeovil Town to a 2-0 defeat in their first match of 2010.

Tamika Mkandawire netted Orient’s opener in fortuitous circumstances, before Scott McGleish headed home from a second-half corner.

It was Yeovil’s first game since defeat at Swindon Town at the end of December, and a lack of match action in almost a month told on Terry Skiverton’s men.

Neither side dominated, but Yeovil’s lack of cutting edge in the final third told against hosts who started the evening in the relegation zone.

Skiverton made four changes to the side that played at Swindon   at the end of last year. Reading loanee Alex McCarthy started in goal again, with Richard Martin on loan at Grays Athletic, while Dean Bowditch replaced the suspended Sam Williams.

Assistant-manager Nathan Jones started at left-back ahead of Nathan Smith and Swansea City loanee Shaun MacDonald started ahead of groin injury victim Gavin Tomlin.

The games early chances fell to defenders. First Yeovil’s Stefan Stam was denied by   Orient custodian Jamie Jones on eight minutes when the Dutchman headed on Craig Alcock’s free-kick, then two minutes later Orient centre-back Mkandawire controlled a deflected cross from the right, only to see his shot go behind for a corner as MacDonald flung himself in the path of the ball.

However, after 15 minutes Mkandawire went one better, beating McCarthy from 20 yards. The tall No 5 cut in from the right wing, shooting across McCarthy and against the far post. The ball rolled back along the line and into the goal via the other upright.

Attacking with verve, the hosts got around the back of the Glovers’ defence on 22 minutes, when Jason Demetriou and Charlie Daniels exchanged passes.

Nicky Adams received the ball unmarked in the area and his shot seemed destined for the net before Alcock cleared yards from goal with his heel.

Yeovil showed a degree of attacking endeavour and hunger pushing forward in the first half, but goalkeeper  Jones was never properly tested.

The second period started in a similar fashion to what had preceded it, with both teams failing to dominate.

Moments after the restart, Yeovil’s Tottenham Hotspur loanee Ryan Mason skipped infield from the left, drilling a shot across goal that was inches away from the target.

On 51 minutes, the out-stretched boot of Nathan Jones absorbed the sting from Jarvis’ effort, moments after McCarthy got down well to get his body behind Adam Chamber’s drive.

Four minutes before the hour-mark, Keiran Murtagh was inches away from poking home an equaliser as his extended leg agonisingly missed MacDonald’s dangerous ball into the box.

However, the introduction of Orient debutant Jonathan Téhoué from the substitutes’ bench re-invigorated the home team.

It was his enthusiasm that helped earn the corner that lead to Orient’s second, when  McGleish rose to powerfully head the set-piece past McCarthy, who may feel he could have done better.

Yeovil’s poor record away from home continues and Skiverton will be disappointed with his team’s performance in attack.

Leyton Orient (4-4-2): J Jones; Purches, Mkandawire, Briggs, Daniels; Adams, Thornton (J Smith, 69), Chambers, Demetriou; McGleish, Jarvis (Téhoué, 74).  Subs not used:   Morris, Ashworth, Melligan, Cave-Brown, Scowcroft.

Yeovil Town (4-4-2): McCarthy; Alcock, Stam, Caulker, N Jones, Mason (Welsh, 79), Murtagh (Tomlin, 57), Kalala, MacDonald; Bowditch, Obika (Murray, 79). Subs not used: Downes, Hutchins, N Smith, Roberts.