IT’S often said that you never get a second chance to make a first impression and if that’s the case Leyton Orient supporters must be quite taken with Accrington Stanley.

The Reds played their first competitive game against the O’s and returned from the Matchroom Stadium with three points after a terrific 1-0 win.

A point and a place separated the teams before kick off, with the hosts slightly better off. But that turned around by full time thanks to an eighth goal of the season for the in-form Josh Windass.

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John Coleman made one enforced change, with Dean Winnard returning in place of the injured Adam Buxton.

And the Reds started well, with Piero Mingoia crossing for Sean McConville in the early stages only for the winger to hit his shot into the ground, over former Stanley ‘keeper Alex Cisak but wide of the target.

Orient’s best opportunities followed and they should have been in front in the 12th minute.

Josh Payne crossed from the right, Connor Essam headed against the bar and as Jason Mooney pushed the ball away Jay Simpson and Ollie Palmer advanced to finish it off.

Somehow the strikers collided on the line, the ball sprang to Essam but he was thwarted by a brilliant block from Winnard.

Moments later John Marquis tried his luck with a left-foot volley but Mooney got down well to his right to push the effort round the post.

That was a good as it got for Ian Hendon’s team as Stanley began to wrestle control of the game.

Windass fired an earlier warning shot with a free kick just over the top before striking to hand his team the advantage.

Billy Kee was integral in the goal, coming short for Seamus Conneely’s pass, spinning and threading Windass in. Stanley’s top scorer was one-on-one and the outcome was never in doubt as he slid the ball low into the left corner of the net.

It might have been worse for the disgruntled home supporters too, with Cisak spilling a long-range Conneely strike to Matt Crooks who at full stretch could only guide the ball over the top.

Boos rang around the ground at the break and the home fans might have expected a response after the interval, but Palmer’s scuffed shot and a wayward header from Essam summed up their attacking endeavours.

In contrast Stanley looked a continued threat, with McConville heading wide and Kee’s mishit effort almost deceiving Cisak, who was forced to adjust his position and just about push the ball away.

The more Orient pressed, the greater the number of opportunities that presented themselves to the Reds and McConville was inches from adding a second goal when he bent in a shot after receiving the ball from Kee.

Cisak, who also had a spell with Burnley, again had to be on his toes to deny Mingoia as he drove low from the edge of the box as Coleman’s side looked to cement their slender advantage.

Late on they had to withstand pressure from their hosts but continued a resolute defensive display that had frustrated all inside the ground in East London.

All, that is, apart from 139 visiting fans from Lancashire who sang and cheered throughout and celebrated the victory at full time with the players and coaching staff.

Consider that good impression made.