Leyton Orient promoted despite Gillingham defeat

Leyton Orient won promotion from League Two despite a 2-0 defeat at Gillingham.

Orient had Omar Beckles sent off for denying a goalscoring chance and from the resulting free-kick Alex MacDonald found the bottom corner to put the Gills ahead.

Gillingham’s second came via Cheye Alexander’s penalty after Idris El Mizouni was penalised for a handball following a MacDonald free-kick.

The game was halted by a floodlight failure with 12 minutes to go, but when the action resumed Orient knew they had gone up after finding out the result at Swindon.

They are seven points clear of second-placed Northampton but crucially 13 ahead of sixth-placed Bradford, who were the only side who could mathematically stop them making the top three.

Gillingham’s victory also ensured they avoided relegation with the two sides playing out time as they waited for the game to end.

Alexander was on hand to clear Darren Pratley’s ninth-minute effort for the O’s before the league leaders suffered a double blow.

Beckles was adjudged to have been the last man as he tripped George Lapslie just outside the box with MacDonald firing home the resulting free-kick for his first goal since 1 October.

Orient were frustrated when Max Ehmer was books after bringing down Ruel Sotiriou 40 yards from goal as he appeared to break clear after half an hour before Tom James’ free-kick flew just over the bar as half-time approached.

The O’s had goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux to thank for not going further behind as he superbly saved Tom Nichols’ header soon after the restart.

But Alexander’s penalty ensured an 11th home win of the season for the Gills before the lights went out.

Fortunately, power was restored not long after and both sides had cause for celebration at the final whistle.

Orient return to third tier after eight years

It is a second promotion for Orient in less than six years since Nigel Travis took over as owner – and a return to League Onestatus which they lost in 2015 in the first season under the previous ownership of Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti.

They dropped into non-league two years later but lifelong fan Travis took over the club and helped fund a side managed by the late Justin Edinburgh which won the 2019 National League title.

The O’s have been mid-table since their return to the EFL, but this season under Richie Wellens they have soared away and are seven points clear of second-placed Northampton Town.

With four games left to play, and two of the next three at Brisbane Road, the title looks likely to follow promotion.