A Jobi McAnuff brace and one from Macauley Bonne and stretched the O’s to 12 without defeat at the CNG Stadium this afternoon.

Harrogate Town got the game underway ad immediately had the first chance on goal when Orient only cleared their corner as far as George Thompson who shot on the turn but saw the effort blocked by Jobi McAnuff.

After the opening 11 minutes neither team could get a firm grip of the game and Orient failedto punish the hosts after Josh Koroma was brought down, McAnuff struck the free-kick over from 20-yards.

James Dayton was shown a yellow card for hand-ball after the midfielder looked to have been pushed just outside the penalty area as excellent work from Koroma to make the box.

Orient opened the scoring soon after when referee Marc Edwards played an excellent advantage as Dayton was fouled, Charlie Lee picked up the ball and played through Macauley Bonne who calmly slotted passed Belshaw.

Orient should’ve doubled their lead moments later when Koroma volleyed just wide of the post from inside the box.

After 36 minutes, Josh Koroma did very well to worm his way in to the box and force a save from Belshaw but the ball only fell to McAnuff who tapped Orient’s second of the afternoon.

Harrogate thought they pulled one back through Kitching whose header had beaten Brill and looked to be over the line but for the defensive efforts of Bonne to clear the ball off the line.

The hosts went close again on the stroke of the half-time when Kelvin Langmead headed towards Brill but the Orient ‘keeper was level to the effort and tipped the ball wide of the target as Orient lead at the break.

Orient got the ball rolling for the second half and McAnuff nearly added his second but his curled effort was inches passed Belshaw’s post.

Moments later, Brill had to be alert to beat away the close-range stab of Langmead after the ball dropped to the Harrogate man from a free-kick on the wide left.

Craig Clay won the ball back and found Koroma who advanced on goal but saw his show saved by Belshaw as Orient looked to register their third.

The hosts were on the attack when Jack Muldoon looked to be through on goal but Ekpiteta made an excellent recovery challenge to sweep the ball from the danger man’s feet cleanly, despite calls for a home penalty.

Despite continued pressure from Harrogate, Orient found their third when Koroma chased a loose ball before he cut back to McAnuff to stroke home for his second.

Orient almost found their third when Koroma ran through on goal but could only drag his shot wide of the target.

71 minutes was on the clock when Brill was forced in to a save from point-blank range to deny Harrogate a goal following a scramble inside the box.

Orient were comfortable in possession as Harrogate looked to counter, but Brill again had to be alert to claw the ball off the line from Warren Burrell’s headed effort at the back post.

McAnuff came agonisingly close to a third after he got the better of his man but curled his shot just wide of the far post from 18-yards.

Newly introduced James Alabi pounced on a Harrogate mistake and found himself clear on goal but was denied by the legs of Belshaw who did well.

Orient finished the game well in control, and referee Marc Edwards called time on a wonderful fixture for the O’s.

HARROGATE: Belshaw, Burrell, Howe, Langmead, Kitching, Falkingham, Kerry, Thomson, Muldoon, Beck (Williams 71), Knowles

SUBS: Cracknell, Parker, Agnew, Sutton

BOOKING: Kitching (24)

SENT OFF:

GOALS

ORIENT: Brill, Judd, Coulson, Ekpiteta, Widdowson, McAnuff, Lee, Clay (Gorman 89), Dayton, Koroma (Alabi 74), Bonne (Harrold 90+1)

SUBS: Sargeant, Happe

BOOKING: Dayton (17), Koroma (45), Judd (60)

SENT OFF:

GOALS: Bonne (23), McAnuff (36), McAnuff (68)

REFEREE: Marc Edwards

ATTENDANCE: 2,584