Leyton Orient played out a goalless draw at home to League Two play-off chasers Bradford City.

Conor Wilkinson came the closest for the hosts with a first-half header which hit the bar, while Sam Sargeant also pulled off some good stops to keep the scores level.

Ross Embleton was forced into a couple of changes, with Sam Ling and Joe Widdowson missing out due to injury. Josh Coulson also dropped to the bench – Josh Wright captained the side in his absence.

After a slow opening period to the game, Bradford fashioned the first opportunity of the game through Aramide Oteh, but he failed to get a good connection on his strike and it proved to be an easy stop for Sargeant.

Orient’s response was to go even closer. A peach of a cross from Jordan Maguire-Drew found Conor Wilkinson’s head, but his effort bounced off the top of the crossbar.

Neither side were really creating many chances and it wasn’t until the 28th minute that Orient came forward and had an effort again. Maguire-Drew’s free-kick was dropped by Richard O’Donnell, but the rebound from Marvin Ekpiteta was blocked well.

The hosts had the better end to the half but Bradford were remaining strong at the back. Both Maguire-Drew and Myles Judd had efforts blocked five minutes before the break, but it was Sargeant who had the last action of the half as he got down well to block Oteh’s shot with his legs.

The O’s looked slightly more energised at the start of the second period and went straight on the attack through Lee Angol, but his eventual cross was gathered easily by O’Donnell.

Wilkinson then fashioned an opportunity for Maguire-Drew by somehow keeping it in play and switching out to him, but the eventual strike was blocked for a corner which came to nothing.

A relentless period of pressure from the hosts then ensued. A succession of corners were dealt with by Bradford, but the final effort from Wilkinson ended just wide of the post after a neat set-up by Wright.

More O’s pressure came about with 15 minutes to go, again from a corner, but the referee firstly waved away penalty appeals after Angol’s shot was blocked, and then the rebound from Craig Clay was headed away.

Bradford had a late chance to win the game when the ball broke to Vaughan on the edge of the area, but Sargeant stretched well and gathered the ball in.

The result keeps Orient 19th in the table, while their next game comes in a week away at Cambridge United.

Orient team: Sargeant, Ekpiteta, Clay, Wilkinson, Maguire-Drew, Judd, Happe, Angol, Marsh, Turley, Wright

Subs: Brill, Gorman, Coulson, Dayton, Brophy, Harrold, Kyprianou