Macauley Bonne celebrated his new contract at Leyton Orient in style, as he scored the only goal of the game to secure the O's their first home win of the season against Boreham Wood.

Orient's prolific striker stepped up and calmly slotted past Ellery Balcombe from the penalty spot with just under 25 minutes remaining, after Josh Koroma had been brought down by Ricky Shakes inside the area.

Jobi McAnuff had the chance to add further gloss to the score-line late on, but Orient managed to hold onto their slender advantage, unlike against Ebbsfleet United and Barrow, to secure a 1-0 victory, as well as their first clean sheet of the campaign.

O’s head coach Justin Edinburgh made just one change to the side which beat Maidstone United in mid-week, with fit again McAnuff returning to captain the side in place of James Brophy, who missed out with a hamstring problem.

Meanwhile, Wood boss Luke Garrard also made just the one change, with former Watford midfielder Connor Smith coming in for his first start in place of Brentford loanee Justin Shaibu.

Orient started their first two home games against Ebbsfleet and Barrow relatively slowly but they made sure they were on the front foot from the first whistle against the Wood, with Dayton’s free-kick being punched away by Balcombe and Koroma’s shot going wide of the target after a well-worked move.

Down the other end, David Stephens thought he had put Luke Garrard’s men in front in the seventh minute when he flicked home a free-kick from close range, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

Another quick counter attack from Orient saw them test Balcombe once again just before the twenty minute mark, as Koroma did well to bring down a high ball, before turning his man and charging towards the penalty area. The O’s youngster, fresh from scoring his first goal of the season against Maidstone, then played in Bonne, who cut in onto his left, only for his curling effort to be punched clear by Boreham Wood’s Balcombe.

Koroma had enjoyed an excellent start to the game and was causing the Wood real problems up front. The 19-year-old came close to breaking the deadlock once again when he showed great pace to turn away from his marker after being found by Bonne’s flicked header, before unleashing a deflected effort which flew just wide of the target.

The O’s came close again seconds later, this time through Charlie Lee, as he raced onto Josh Coulson’s pull-back on the edge of the area and the former Stevenage man’s deflected effort went inches over the bar.

Last season’s play-off finalists were then handed a decent opportunity to have a shot on goal when Craig Clay was adjudged to have brought down on loan Charlton forward Joshua Umerah 30-yards out, but Angelo Balanta’s attempt sailed comfortably over Dean Brill’s crossbar.

Umerah would then come close to breaking the deadlock seven minutes before the break as he capitalised on a poor clearance from Marvin Ekpiteta, took a touch, before arrowing a low effort which trickled just past the post.

Returning O’s captain McAnuff then created an shooting opportunity for himself on the stroke of half-time, when he picked up the ball on the edge of the area after a corner had only been partially cleared, but his low effort was too close to Balcombe, who did well to get down low to save.

After a goalless first half, Orient would have taken the lead barely a minute after the re-start if it weren’t for a superb block from the Wood’s Champion, who slid in to prevent Koroma from latching onto Dayton’s low cross from close range.

But fresh from losing George Elokobi against Ebbsfleet, the O’s were dealt a further blow when Coulson had to be replaced just three minutes into the second half due to injury, with Dan Happe coming on for his first appearance of the season.

Happe would almost score with his first touch, as the young centre-back was lurking at the far post and looked set to tap home McAnuff’s fizzed corner, only for a Wood defender to make a vital clearance.

After Clay could only head wide from Joe Widdowson’s cross, Wood almost went in front with a quick counter-attack straight down the other end, but Ricky Shakes’ rising effort from the edge of the area was superbly tipped around the post by Brill.

From the resultant corner, Champion would then squander a golden opportunity for the Hertfordshire side when he could only head wide from close-range.

Another chance came and went for Happe just before the hour mark, as the young centre-back couldn’t keep his volley down at the far post after being found by McAnuff.

It was almost end to end at times at the start of the second period and Brill was tested down the other end barely a minute later when he held Stephens’ header from a corner.

The experienced Orient stopper then had to be alert to tip over Smith’s chipped effort from the edge of the area following a well worked team move from the Wood.

Seconds after testing Balcombe with a low effort, McAnuff then spurned another opportunity when a patient move for the O’s ended with Clay’s cut-back finding the Orient skipper at the far post, but his deflected shot was held by the Wood goalkeeper.

But the O’s were then handed a glorious opportunity to take the lead in the 67th minute, when referee Christopher Pollard pointed to the spot after Koroma was upended inside the box by Shakes, having beaten the Wood’s wing-back with a quick turn of pace.

Fresh from signing his new deal with Orient, Bonne stepped up and oozed confidence as he calmly sent Balcombe the wrong way to put the O’s in front.

Wood boss Luka Garrard made a double substitution with ten minutes remaining with Manny Parry and Femi Ilesanmi replacing Balanta and Danny Woodards.

Justin Edinburgh responded with a double change of his own with less than five minutes to play, with James Alabi and Alex Lawless replacing Dayton and Lee.

O’s skipper McAnuff had enjoyed a fine return to the starting line-up following his injury and he almost sealed the victory with two minutes to play, showing fantastic skill to turn Shakes before racing into the area, but his shot with the outside of his boot was straight at Balcombe.

Five minutes of added time was signalled by the fourth official, but Orient held firm to secure back-to-back victories.

Leyton Orient: Brill (GK), Judd, Ekpiteta, Coulson (Happe, 48), Widdowson, Dayton (Alabi, 85), Lee (Lawless, 85), Clay, McAnuff ©, Koroma, Bonne.

Subs (Not used): Sargeant (GK), Ling.

Bookings: Judd (42) Boreham Wood: Balcombe (GK), Champion, Stephens, Fyfield, Shakes, Ricketts ©, Smith (Thomas, 64) Murtagh, Woodards (Ilesanmi, 80), Balanta (Parry, 80), Umerah.

Subs (Not used) – Burbridge (GK), Ash.

Bookings: Smith (34), Fyfield (38), Stephens (61)

Refereee: Christopher Pollard

Attendance – 3,767 (93 away)