Super Saints beat sorry Os

St Albans City 2 (Cohen 23, O'Donoghue 35)

Leyton Orient 0

James Ronayne at Clarence Park

ST ALBANS City recorded their most impressive win of the pre-season campaign so far with a comfortable 2-0 win over League One side Leyton Orient.

Strikers Gary Cohen and Jamie-Lee O'Donoghue got the goals but it was an impressive all-round team performance with the defence, lead by Ryan Frater, snuffing out any danger with minimal fuss.

Adam Everitt made a welcome return from injury getting over an hour's football under his belt and bar a late challenge early on he put in an impressive shift at left back.

The first half was virtually one way traffic with Everitt and Alex Bailey on the other flank testing the Orient defence with pin-point crosses.

First Bailey fired in a low ball that the Orient defence had to hack away with O'Donoghue poised in the middle, and then goalkeeper Glenn Morris had to be alert to tip an O'Donoghue header over the bar after Everitt had found the striker unmarked on the edge of the box.

A rare Orient attack should have seen them open the scoring but Romanian striker Adrian Patulea headed wide from a Jason Demetriou cross.

City opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a beautiful finish from Cohen. Danny Green, who looked a threat all night, held off several Orient challenges on the edge of the box before presenting the ball to Cohen who sent a delightful curling shot inside Morris' left-hand post.

It was a composed finish from the former Grimsby man and Saints fans will be hoping for more of the same throughout the season.

City didn't have to wait too long to double their lead with another goal of the highest quality. Quick thinking by James Fisher resulted in a quick free kick being knocked out wide to Everitt. The full back fired in a cross that Cohen flicked on for O'Donoghue who emphatically rifled the ball home for his first goal for the club.

The former Brimsdown striker nearly had a second two minutes later but Morris was able to push the ball away.

Everitt nearly capped a fine comeback display with a goal on the stroke of half time. The former Bromley man was left unmarked at the far post and although his downward header beat Morris, Os striker Scott McGleish was on hand to clear the ball off the line.

Orient made five changes at the break but the second half lacked the same intensity shown in the first 45 minutes.

Everitt, who had been booked shortly before, had Paul Bastock to thank after the left back slipped presenting sub Harry Baker a clear run on goal. Fortunately for the Saints defender, Bastock read the situation well and was quickly out to deny the Os youngster.

Luke Thurlbourne found his name in the referee's book as well before both he and Everitt were subbed by Mark Peters.

With 20 minutes remaining Orient had their best chance. Jamie Thurlbourne, who had only been on the pitch a mater of minutes, committed a foul 25 yards out and from the resulting free kick Loick Pires curled a wonderful shot that crashed off the bar.

The character and commitment in City's performance was best summed up in the 79th minute when striker Cohen threw himself in front of Luke Ashworth's shot inside his own box to help preserve Bastock's second clean sheet of the week.

This is the kind of performance City need to reproduce on a regular basis and if that is something they can achieve then there is every chance of success.

St Albans City (4-4-2): Bastock; Bailey (Sulaiman 75), Mitchell, Frater, Everitt (J.Thurlbourne 69); Green, Shields, L.Thurlbourne (Quinton 69), Fisher; Cohen, O'Donoghue.

Subs: Knock, Chillingworth, Roberts, O'Donnell, Peters, Quinton, Sulaiman, J.Thurlbourne.

Leyton Orient (4-4-2): Morris; Cave-Brown, Mkandawire (Ashworth 46), Babbs, Bieudonne; Hall, Melligan (Baker 46), Beautyman, Demetriou (Pires 46); McGleish (Crowther 46), Patulea (Benjemem 46).

Subs: Bygrave, Sydes, O'Hara, Nelson.

Referee: Matt McLaughlin (Luton).