Danny Johnson’s last-minute goal was the difference between the two sides on the opening day of the Sky Bet League Two season.
Ross Embleton’s side started the game is a positive manner after Lee Angol dispossessed Ben Garrity inside the Latics half and drove goalwards, but he blasted his long-range strike way over.
Following this, the O’s continued to push forwards again and they worked the ball up to Craig Clay and he dragged his low effort just wide of the post.
Oldham grew into the match during the first-half but failed to create any clear cut chances. Davis Keillor-Dunn showed promising glimpses and cut inside from the left-wing before shooting but a defender managed to get in the way of his attempt.
Leyton Orient came close to taking the lead with a screamer just before the interval when central defender Dan Happe received the ball in his own-half and confidently dribbled forward with the ball, and from about 30-yards he unleashed a dipping long-range strike which just about went over the crossbar.
Minutes into the second-half, Angol found space for himself on the edge of the area and fizzed a low strike on goal, but Lawlor pulled off a fine save to keep the forward out.
Harry Kewell’s side created a fantastic opportunity in the 61st minute as Keillor-Dunn played a lovely weighted through ball in behind to Conor McAleny. The attacker couldn’t quite control the pass which took him wide but from an angle, he struck low and hard at goal, but Lawrence Vigouroux denied him with his legs.
Latics went in search of the winner and came close when Keillor-Dunn had the vision to play Zak Dearnley through down the right and the striker pulled his pass back to Danny Rowe inside the penalty box. Rowe turned and shoot at goal, but it went straight at the goalkeeper.
In the 89th minute, the visitors managed to find a winner as Johnson made it three goals in three games for himself. The forward raced onto a looping cross inside the area before keeping his composure to slot under Lawlor and into the back of the net to seal Leyton Orient’s first win at Boundary Park since August 2014.
Oldham Athletic XI – Lawlor, Hamer, Jombati, Piergianni, Borthwick-Jackson, Garrity, Whelan, Fage (Rowe 45’), Keillor-Dunn, McAleny, Grant (Dearnley 72’).
Subs – Woods, Rowe, Barnett, Dearnley, Badan, Da Silva, Hough.
Leyton Orient XI – Vigouroux, Ling, Cisse, Happe (Turley 66’), Coulson, Clay, Wilkinson (Sotiriou 62’), Dayton (McAnuff 58’), Brophy, Angol, Johnson.
Subs – Sargeant (GK), Widdowson, McAnuff, Magure-Drew, Sotiriou, Turley, Wright.
Goals: Johnson 89’
Referee: Declan Bourne.