Omar Beckles' unfortunate own-goal ten minutes from time chalked up a huge victory for Tranmere Rovers, moving the Super White Army four points behind the play-offs.

It was a particularly damaging blow to Leyton Orient's title credentials, who missed the chances to extend their cushion at the summit.

Orient’s lack of confidence after last Saturday's crushing title blow following their 3-0 defeat to Stevenage was their for all to see, as they struggled to create any clear cut chances, with Rovers looking more likely to net throughout the 90.

  • Story of the match

The contest began evenly, with both sides threatening each-other's goal before the momentum began to swing the hosts’ way as they fashioned plenty of goal-mouth opportunities.

Tranmere, on their return to action, opened lively with new signing Harvey Saunders a menace as he constantly applied pressure to the Orient back-line.

Kieron Morris had two attempts to open the scoring for Rovers in the opening 20 minutes of the game. Firstly, he recieved a lobbed ball from Saunders but he couldn't keep his first-timed volley down, before seeing a low drive denied valiantly by Omar Beckles.

Leyton Orient's threat seemed to be coming in the form of Theo Archibald, and his first involvement in front of goal for the O's was him shifting the ball onto his left foot after cutting in from the right flank, Archibald struck but his effort squirmed marginally wide of the post.

Tranmere continued to look a potent threat when in the final third, with Kane Hemmings coming closest in the next passage of play, nodding inches wide of the far post after rising highest to meet the in-swinging ball launched into the area.

Leyton Orient offered limited resources up top, but Theo Archibald and George Moncur were the two dangerman. The pair linked up on the half hour mark, which almost proved to be affective.

Moncur, racing down the left flank, whipped a teasing delivery which was pounced upon by Archibald. He had to stretch back to meet it on the head and he did, but he couldn't divert it into the net.

Despite it being audacious, Lee O'Connor fizzed a strike from far out but saw his shot land far wide.

George Moncur’s half-chance unphased Hewelt in the Tranmere net.

Rovers' Kieron Morris had the goal and Lawrence Vigouroux to aim at, but his effort stung the palms of Vigouroux.

Half-time: Tranmere Rovers 0-0 Leyton Orient

Tranmere continued to dominate the contest, and Micky Mellon rolled the dice with substitutions in pursuit of an opener. 

Saunders had more fire in his belly and searched for a goal on his debut. He was sent through on goal but his shot didn’t match the quality of the build up, drifting high into the Kop. 

Josh Dacres-Cogley proved to be a real threat down the flank and when he found himself space in the area, Orient were quick to close down. The Rovers full back drilled a shot goalwards but frustratingly saw his effort thwarted.

Kane Hemmings had a bright spell in the second half without greatly alarming Lawrence Vigouroux, but as time went on, you wondered if anything would fall to the hosts. A half-volley by Hemmings skimmed the roof of the net before meeting Dacres-Cogley's punctured cross across the face on the volley, however, it flew wide.

Leyton Orient's substitution of introducing Harry Smith into the fray proved to be an inspired one, as with time ticking down, he almost gave Orient the breakthrough. On the volley, Smith's effort floated over the bar. 

As the game played out, it seemed like it was going to take a stroke of luck for either team to find the back of the net, and that's exactly the fortune Tranmere recieved.

Dacres-Cogley's overlap meant he had acres of space in the area, his cross cannoned off the unfortunate Omar Beckles and flew in to send the Super White Army into pandemonium.

In a dramatic finish to the contest, both sides had efforts fortuitously crash the crossbar.

For Orient, Ruel Sotiriou met a desperate ball launched in and his header clipped the top of the bar.

Tranmere's chance came when Dacres-Cogley and Hemmings linked up once more, Hemmings was sent away and volleyed into the ground, which looped into the air and tipped the top of the bar before meandering into the Kop, over the bar.

Full-time: Tranmere Rovers 1-0 Leyton Orient

  • Player of the match

Josh Dacres-Cogley (Tranmere Rovers)

Yet again on the right flank, Josh Dacres-Cogley was excellent in White and Blue.

Effective overlaps, ceasless runs down the right, dangerous balls and ultimately the provider for the Tranmere goal, Dacres-Cogley was outstanding and had his praises sung by the crowd in another asertive display by the full-back.