Brentford 1 (Grabban 43) Leyton Orient 0

A solitary goal from on-loan debutant Lewis Grabban was enough to give Brentford a narrow win over London rivals Leyton Orient at Griffin Park on Saturday.

Signed from Millwall until the end of the season, Grabban did just enough to give his new side another three points in a largely dull game that saw few chances for either side.

Bees boss Andy Scott was relieved to get the win: “We didn’t play great in the first half, but managed to get ourselves in front and were a little bit better in the second half.

"A win is a win at this stage of the season and it is important we increased the gap over Orient and the teams below us.”

Grabban went straight into Scott’s starting line-up, alongside Charlie MacDonald up front, with fellow loanee Pim Balkestein - back for another spell from Ipswich Town - returning to slot in at centre-back.

Sam Saunders earned a starting spot on the right of midfield, while Ben Strevens, Karleigh Osborne and David Hunt all dropped to the bench.

The first half was a largely uneventful affair as both sides struggled to exert any superiority. Saunders should have put the Bees ahead after MacDonald set up Myles Weston down the left and his cross into the six-yard box was headed over the bar from three yards out by Saunders.

Orient offered little in attack until a good move down the left saw the ball played into James Scowcroft, whose shot was comfortably held by Wojciech Szczesny.

As half-time approached, Brentford took the lead, when Orient failed to clear a cross from the right and, first, Marcus Bean headed the ball into the six yard box, where Grabban spun and headed the ball in off the left hand post.

Orient looked to reply early in the second half when Adam Chambers got the better of Balkestein down the right but his shot from inside the box was well blocked by Szczesny.

At the other end, a Bees corner from the right was headed over the bar by Leon Legge, before a mazy run from Grabban saw him cut into the centre before firing off a shot that was tipped over by Jamie Jones in Orient’s goal.

MacDonald also sealed the win in the closing minutes when his powerful rising shot from just outside the box was tipped over by Jones, while at the other end Szczesny did well to get down low and turn a low skidding shot from Sean Thornton right his right hand post.

After taking seven points from a possible nine over the past week, Brentford have gone a long way to securing their safety in League One and will go into the Easter programme with confidence high.

Brentford: Szczesny; O’Connor, Legge, Balkestein, Wood; Saunders (sub Strevens 61), Bean, Diagouraga, Weston; MacDonald, Grabban (sub Hunt 89)

Subs (not used): Price, Foster, Osborne, Blake, Cort

Attendance: 6,369

Goals: Grabban 43

Man of the match: Charlie MacDonald

Match rating: 3/6