(Image: Keeran Marquis)
(Image: Keeran Marquis)
Orient suffered their 3rd home defeat in as many games after a late goal from Andre Harriman-Annous completed the comeback for Arsenal’s Under 21s at the Betwright Stadium.
The home side had taken the lead midway through the first half thanks to a flick-on from 19-year-old striker Nicholas Oyekunle, before goals from both Archie Stevens and Harriman-Annous ensured that Group F remained finely poised.
The result ensured that the academy side picked up their first win of the 2026/27 campaign, and took them above the hosts in the table.
As for The O’s, the defeat symbolises a lack of consistency in their performance, having failed to take their chances, as seen on the weekend against Wycombe Wanderers.
Coming into this match, the home side would have fancied their chances against an academy side who had not won in any of their four matches this season. As such, Richie Wellens' side made six changes against the Gunners, which included the likes of Issac Hayden and loanee Yusuf Akhamrich dropping to the bench.
Orient struggled to settle into the game at first, presenting multiple opportunities through poorly executed passes. The best of those was from Arsenal’s Evan Mooney, who poached a wayward pass deep inside the attacking half before dragging his shot wide of the right-hand post.
Despite a disappointing opening few minutes by the home side, it was they who had the first real opportunity of the game, when a good passage of play down the left-hand side by Alex Gilbert and James Morris forced the Gunners to concede a corner.
Orient decided to go short, with the ball whipped into the area by Idris El Mizouni before Oyekunle headed it over the onrushing Khari Ranson and into the Arsenal net to make it 1-0.
Momentum remained with the O’s as they looked to build on their lead before the break. Another chance came Oyekunle’s way in the 35th minute when the home side won it high up the pitch, with the striker missing the target on that attempt.
It looked as though the hosts would take a lead into the break, but Arsenal had other ideas. A great switch of play by Maalik Hashi found Stevens on the left-hand side, who cut in and slotted the ball into the bottom right-hand corner to make it 1-1 at the break.
As the second half began, summer signing Dane Scarlett entered the field, and he proved to be a huge threat in the second half, forcing a great save from Ranson with a low, drilled shot that was headed for the corner.
The best chance of the game fell to Joseph Olowu, who rattled the woodwork from only a few yards out after another well-worked short corner, after Arsenal failed to clear it originally.
Despite the chances that Orient had created, it was the visitors who would snatch it late on. A devastating counter-attack saw Dovin spill Stevens’ shot straight into the path of substitute Harriman-Annous to slot it into an empty net, making it 2-1.
Orient failed to find an equaliser in the minutes that remained, leaving the fate of their cup run in the balance, with the loss leaving them third in the table as it stands.
Orient will now turn their attention to Saturday’s clash with Stevenage, with Wellens’ side looking to put their recent struggles behind them and get the season back on track.