Leyton Orient fans displayed a sign of unity as hundreds stormed the Brisbane Road pitch after 90 minutes in the O’s 2-1 victory over Hartlepool United.

The O’s faithful had one thing in mind, to send a clear message to owner Francesco Becchetti to sell the club he bought four years ago.

It has been a hard month for the supporters after it was revealed on March 1 Orient had been handed a winding-up petition from HMRC over an unpaid tax bill believed to be around £125,000 to £250,000.

Orient are due to appear at the High Court on June 12, despite Becchetti paying the initial bill as other creditors have taken over the petition.

Fans dressed up as clowns and brought whistles into the ground to blow time on Becchetti’s reign at 3:11pm.

The time was significant as it symbolised the 11 manager Orient have had since Becchetti took over.

At the time of going to press, players and staff had still yet to be paid for the month of March.

Problems on the pitch have also been evident with a youthful Orient side being fielded week in week out and Omer Riza is the fifth manager to take the helm this season.

Throughout the match chants of ‘pay the staff,’ ‘Becchetti out,’ and ‘sack the board’ could be heard around the stadium.

Fans have not only had enough of their owner, but of the governing bodies who they believe have not done enough to try and save the second oldest club in London.

When they all ran onto the pitch, they congratulated the young O’s ,buoyed by senior players Liam Kelly and Michael Collins, as the east Londoners staved off what people are now calling inevitable relegation into the National League for the first time in 112-years.

Riza has a tough task ahead as his side prepare to take on Crewe Alexandra, Colchester United and Blackpool in a bid to gain as many points as possible.

Speaking to the Guardian Series after the 2-1 win over the Pools, Darren Bristow, who has been watching Orient for 45 years, said: “I think we played alright but we weren’t up against much and the writing is already on the wall.

“We got on the pitch today and said what we needed to say, at the moment, this is going in one ear and out the other,. The EFL do not care anymore, it is all about money.

“We have been in the league 112 years and it just doesn’t seem to mean anything, how can you let this happen to a club like this?

“I come all the way from Kent now to games, my family all love this club.

“I was a mascot, my children were mascots and their children will be mascots one day.”

O’s fan Leigh Ellerby said: “Last Friday against Luton, we started eight players who played the first youth team game of the season.

“It is pretty staggering how many youth players we have in the starting eleven now, but today was probably the best performance at home this season and it is all thanks to the two young lads up front.

“It is just a shame as it has all come a little bit too late unfortunately.

“We also have to be realistic about Hartlepool, because they were poor opposition as well.

“I did not expect to feel so much spirit today from the fans or the players.

“Everybody is devastated. The writing is already on the wall, but what has happened today with the game and the protest has vindicated how the fans feel.

“They wanted spirit from the players and from the club all season.”

Orient sit bottom of the League Two table on 36 points, seven points from safety.

#BecchettiOut #BecchettiOut #BecchettiOut pic.twitter.com/OnkbXM9SdA

— GuardianOrient (@GuardianOrient) April 17, 2017