The over 70s Whites kicked off their 2026 Essex League season on an overcast day at Billericay. It was a small squad who arrived to cheer the Reds with James in goal, Bell, Lester, Haley forming the defensive barrier, Barrick in midfield and Kassam up front with Cheston and Chris Conlan as roving subs.
First up was Southend. It was one of those games in which everything seemed to go wrong. Referee Simon Crump was his usual strict self on walking as Orient tried to break the record for conceding the quickest running penalty of the season. The penalty came and Orient were one down. Orient played some good football creating chances and missing them. Orient conceded a deflected goal, got a penalty for DOGSO, missed the penalty and the game then petered out as a 2-0 win for Southend.
Leyton Orient 0-2 Southend

Next up were Concord, who had two eighty-year-olds in the squad. Orient roared into Concord, quicky Bell was finding space and twice in the first half he appeared in front of goal putting the ball calmly into the net. Orient controlled the game and should have scored a few more. James in goal rarely touched the ball.
Leyton Orient 2-0 Concord Rangers

The final game was Billericay White. Billericay played a possession game from the off but rarely threatened the Orient goal. Orient became hurried as they got possession on rare occasions and found the Billericay keeper in fine form. Late into the second half, manager Stevenson had his moment of inspiration replacing Cheston with Haley as he wanted the team to go for a winner. This duly arrived when a flowing back to front move left Conlan making a deft chip over the prone Billericay keeper. The game then had a moment of high drama when Lester charged across the edge of the area to block a shot. DOGSO? The referee blue-carded Lester but allowed Orient to make a substitution and awarded Billericay a free kick. Billericay missed from the free-kick and Orient calmly played out the game to grab their second win of the day.
Leyton Orient 1-0 Billericay Whites
New Manager, Stevenson congratulated the players on a hard-working afternoon but expressed his disappointment about the Southend result where he thought we should have at least drawn. He has submitted his CV to Spurs.
David James, Kevin Bell, Alan Lester, Tony Haley, Jon Barrick (c), Hassan Kassam and Len Cheston, Chris Conlan
Goals: Bell 2 , Chris Conlan
Report by Len Cheston.