Relegation-threatened Leyton Orient had to settle for a frustrating 0-0 draw at home to in-form Barnsley this evening.

The hosts were the better team in the first half but were unable to turn their possession and opportunities into goals.

Orient continued to threaten throughout the match but were denied maximum points after a series of excellent saves from goalkeeper Adam Davies.

Although the O’s remain in the relegation zone, the performance will provide encouragement for supporters as they dominated much of the game against a side which came into it on a six-match winning run.

Fabio Liverani made two changes to the side which eased past Yeovil on Saturday. Nathan Clarke returned to captain the side, for his first start in a month, in place of the injured Mathieu Baudry.

Bradley Pritchard also returned to the midfield with Marvin Bartley also ruled out through injury.

Orient had the first opportunity of the match but Jobi McAnuff blasted his strike well over the visitors’ crossbar.

The O’s had a chance from a long ball through to Darius Henderson but his first touch was heavy and the ball rolled through to goalkeeper Davies.

Barnsley almost put the ball in their own net as Lewin Nyatanga sliced a clearance just over his bar under pressure from Orient.

The hosts nearly grabbed the breakthrough midway through the half when Henderson flicked on but Chris Dagnall headed just over.

Orient kept the pressure on and Andrea Dossena sent in a free-kick but Henderson could only head wide from close range.

The home side threatened again as their strikers combined with Henderson flicking on for Dagnall but his long-range volley was straight at Davies.

Liverani’s side tested Davies from McAnuff’s low strike but his effort was pushed round the post by Davies.

Barnsley were disappointing in the opening half but they fired in a rare effort towards the break through Sam Winnall’s strike which flew wide of the target.

The O’s almost grabbed the lead at the start of the second period when Dagnall nodded the ball down for Hedges but his fierce volley was superbly saved by Davies.

But the Tykes tested Orient for the first time from Conor Hourihane’s free-kick which was was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Alex Cisak.

Orient went close again through the lively Hedges but his volley flew just past the post.

Liverani’s side should have opened the scoring through Pritchard but the midfielder’s close-range strike was flicked over the bar by Davies.

Dossena went close from a free-kick but his powerful strike floated just wide of the visitors’ post.

Orient made their first change with Dean Cox coming on in place of McAnuff. This was quickly followed by the arrival of David Mooney for the tiring Henderson.

Barnsley ended the match with ten men when substitute Milan Lalkovic was sent off for a rash challenge on Clarke in the 90th minute. 

There were four minutes of injury time but the hosts could not carve out a final chance as they had to settle for a point.

Leyton Orient: Cisak; Dossena, Clarke, Cuthbert, O’Neill; McAnuff (Cox, 79), Wright, Pritchard, Hedges (Simpson, 90); Dagnall, Henderson (Mooney, 82)

Subs not used: Omozusi, Sawyer, Lowry, Woods

Barnsley: Davies; John, Nyatanga, Cranie, Holgate; O’Sullivan (Lalkovic, 70), Hourihane, Pearson, Scowen; Winnall (Berry, 76), Waring (Ibhere, 86)

Subs not used: Dibble, Smith, Hemmings, Bailey

Referee: Gavin Ward

Attendance: 4,107