LEYTON ORIENT kept their third clean sheet in a week on Saturday when they returned from Exeter City with a deserved point from their 0-0 draw.

With the new 5-3-2 formation continuing to impress defensively, an in-form Exeter side couldn't break down the resolute Orient defence.

However, Orient couldn't make best use of their own possession, and after creating just the one real chance themselves, falling to Jabo Ibehre in the 65th minute, a point apiece was a fair result.

O's boss Paul Brush was a little disappointed that his side couldn't go that extra mile to take the win:

"I am pleased with a draw here as Exeter are on a good run at home, but after we came out and dominated in the opening twenty minutes it's a little disappointing that we haven't gone on to win.

"We looked less threatening as the game went on. Our crossing wasn't good enough, and although it's nice not to concede, this is the first time since I took over that we haven't scored.

"We are really pleased to keep three clean sheets, but the danger with the 5-3-2 is that we won't keep playing forward. We did it today in spells, and we haven't been overrun in midfield yet, though we didn't create enough today. There are pros and cons to the formation."

The O's came out and controlled possession for the first twenty minutes, without looking especially threatening.

Home keeper Arjan Van Heusden was only called into action once during this spell when he gathered a Billy Jones cross at his near post in the ninth minute.

After that, Exeter settled and came into the game more with the effect that the sides cancelled each other out, letting the game drift into an uneventful midfield battle.

The first effort on target came in the 34th minute, when Exeter's Chris Curran headed Paul Buckle's corner goal-wards. Scott Barrett was alert to the danger though, palming the ball around his left-hand post for another corner.

Seven minutes later, Jeff Minton had Orient's first attempt on goal but his shot from a Steve Watts square ball flew past the post.

The match continued in a similar vein after the break, with both sides having just the one shot on target.

Orient did have the ball in the net after 53 minutes though, but Watts downward header was ruled offside.

In the second half Orient once more enjoyed the lion's share of possession, but they couldn't find that penetrative touch to break down the strong defensive pairing of Alex Watson and Curran.

Yet they should have done so in the 65th minute when Ibehre was presented with a golden opportunity. Dave McGhee headed back a Jones cross towards Ibehre, who wriggled past Curran, but the young striker could only blast his shot against the legs of Van Heusden.

Six minutes later, Jeff Minton dragged a long-range shot wide of the Exeter goal, but it was the home side who had the last real chance to grab all three points in the 87th minute.

Chris Dorrian, deputising at right-wing back for Matt Joseph, couldn't prevent Steve Flack reaching Andy Roscoe's through ball, but Barrett was there to preserve O's point.

Despite a nervy scramble on the edge of their box in the 96th minute, Orient gained a draw to round off a good week.