Notts. County 1 Leyton Orient 2

Last updated : 02 October 2004 By Footymad Previewer

The pressure increased on Notts County boss Gary Mills after they slipped to a fourth home defeat of the season against a slick Leyton Orient at Meadow Lane.

The fans were unhappy at the final whistle following the 2-1 defeat which could have been a lot more had Orient finished better.

Notts started brightly but quickly faded despite the encouragement of a seventh minute penalty converted by Julian Baudet after it was harshly awarded for a tug on Kevin's Wilson's shirt by Andy Scott.

Orient did not let it put them off their stride and they produced some dazzling, defence splitting moves before grabbing a deserved 20th minute equaliser when Lee Steele thumped the ball into the roof of the net for his fourth of the season.

Orient would have had the lead by half-time but for a great save by Notts goalkeeper Wayne Henderson, who got his fingertips to a low drive from Wayne Carlisle.

The second half was almost a repeat of the first except that Orient got an even tighter grip on the game with wave upon wave of attacks.

When Notts substitute Gavin Gordon produced an 85th minute header it was the home side's first effort on target in the whole of the second half - and, as it turned out, their only one.

By then Orient had secured all three points with a simple finish from Gary Alexander, the chance being laid on via attacking full-back Donny Barnard.

Notts won their only second half corner in stoppage time and threw goalkeeper Henderson forward in an attempt to salvage a point, but the finishing effort from Tony Scully was well wide and brought only jeering from the crowd.

The fans' after match meeting turned into an inquisition of the Notts board about the future of Mills as manager and it will simply have increased the pressure on him.