Stevenage and Leyton Orient were both left with one more game added to their poor runs but both will probably feel they should have picked up the three points.

Boro have now only won one in 12 but after conceding eight goals in the last three games, the clean sheet will be gladly taken.

Orient on the other hand are now winless in six, and fans booed at the final whistle, with some imploring manager Kenny Jackett to change things up.

Boro certainly had the better chances but Elliott List had an off day in front of goal and came out second best to Lawrence Vigouroux.

At the other end Adam Smith, whose signing was only announced 90 minutes before kick-off, also made a couple of good stops, notably from Harry Smith.

And with Scott Cuthbert included in the back-line, they were better at the defensive end.

Those chances though will haunt them.

Nerves at the back were to be expected from Stevenage and Orient did enjoy plenty of possession.

They didn't have too much in the way of clear-cut chances though although Smith produced a superb save to tip a Harry Smith header over the top.

Theo Archibald sent a low drive harmlessly wide in a move that saw the visitors get into a good position way too easily.

Archibald was also booked for diving as he feinted past Jake Reeves. Had he stayed on his feet he would have been faced with a clear shot at goal from 18 yards.

But considering they were without the ball for long periods, Boro created two glorious chances for List.

The first one saw him step inside a sliding tackle but shoot tamely into Vigouroux's hands.

The keeper made a better save with a few minutes to go, kicking a shot away with his foot as he dived the wrong way, but there was no excuse for the Stevenage top scorer failing to put the ball into the net. He was 12 yards or so out and only faced with the Orient stopper.

Bradley Barry headed onto the roof of the net and Luke Norris should have done better when the ball was slipped to him unmarked on the edge of the area. He failed to control the ball though.

They were the type of opportunities that a side struggling to keep clean sheets should not have been passing up and that would have been stressed to the players at the break.

There would have been natural frustrations on the bench as List spurned two opportunities in the opening three minutes after the restart.

The first came from a low Barry cross that the forward got to first at the near post but could only guide wide of the target.

The second saw him receive the ball in an advanced position but his dribble to the right side of the area ended with a shot that was palmed away by Vigouroux.

The Boro defence were slowly growing in confidence but they survived a big minute with a little more than 20 to go.

First there was a big shout for a penalty after a Boro hand seemed to haul back an Orient attacker.

Within a minute Harry Smith got in behind the defence but after composing himself his drive was well stopped by his namesake.

The O's had a few chances after this but none of them were hit with any venom and all were comfortably gathered by Smith.

A double sub with seven minutes to go breathed a bit of life into Stevenage as an attacking threat and one of them, Bruno Andrade, sent an effort across the face of goal on the turn.

That was a close as either side came to a grandstand finish.


Stevenage: A.Smith, James-Wildin, Coker, Reeves, Cuthbert, Prosser, List (Andrade 83), Taylor, Norris (Reid 83), Lines, Barry.

Subs (not used): Anang, Osborne, Vancooten, Melbourne, Marshall.

Booked: Revell 70


Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, James, H.Smith, Kemp, Archibald (Clay 55), Mitchell, Pratley, Beckles, Sotiriou, Ogie, Kyprianou (Drinan 55).

Subs (not used): Byrne, Wood, Happe, Omotoye, Papadopoulos.

Booked: Archibald 33


HT: Stevenage 0 Leyton Orient 0

Referee: James Bell (Sheffield)

Attendance: