League One: Leyton Orient 1 Scunthorpe United 4

Leyton Orient fell to their heaviest defeat of the season as their League One woes continued with a 4-1 loss at home to Scunthorpe United.

Liam O’Neil and Gary McSheffrey gave the Iron a 2-0 half-time lead, before Tom Hopper extended it shortly after the break.

Darius Henderson’s penalty gave the hosts a glimmer of hope, but Hopper’s second condemned the O’s to another loss.

The O’s made four changes from the side which lost 2-0 at Colchester United as Mathieu Baudry came in for his first start since November 8, while Elliot Omozusi, Bradley Pritchard and Gianvito Plasmati also starting.

Henderson also made a return to the bench for his first appearance since his sending off at Port Vale in October.

It was a positive start from the O’s and Plasmati played in strike partner Chris Dagnall who saw his effort from an acute angle take a deflection through Luke Daniels’ legs and on to the post.

Nathan Clarke directed a header straight at Daniels from Dean Cox’s free-kick, while Dagnall saw another effort held by the Iron goalkeeper.

But the 13th minute proved to be an unlucky one for the hosts as the ball worked its way to O’Neil who had time and space to curl an effort into the top corner from inside the box.

Cox tried his luck from distance but saw it fell wide and the O’s went 2-0 behind on 28 minutes after a slip from goalkeeper Gary Woods.

Gary McSheffrey’s teasing ball in from the left looked like being a regulation hold for the keeper, but he lost sight of the ball and it trickled into the corner of the net as the hosts woes continued.

Woods spilt another effort but it went behind for a corner, while Dagnall continued to be the glimmer of hope for the O’s up the other end.

Dagnall chased a throughball and saw his shot parried by Daniels who had come out of the area, and Pritchard’s follow-up effort was deflected behind for a corner.

Henderson came on at the break for the ineffective Plasmati but the O’s found themselves 3-0 down when Paddy Madden had time and space to cross the ball for Hopper to bundle in at the back post after 49 minutes.

Henderson certainly made an impact and saw a fierce effort from 20 yards held by Daniels, before then giving the O’s a lifeline on 68 minutes.

The former Nottingham Forest striker was brought down in the box by Jordan Clarke, and he got up to fire his effort straight down the middle to reduce the deficit.

But that hope soon disappeared and 10 minutes from time Hopper slotted home his second of the game to effectively end the contest.

Leyton Orient: Woods, Sawyer, Baudry, Clarke, Omozusi, Pritchard (Hedges 68), Vincelot, Lundstram (Mooney 77), Cox, Plasmati (Henderson 46), Dagnall.

Unused substitutes: Grainger, Lowry, Wright, Eardley.

Scunthorpe United: Daniels, Canavan, Madden (Taylor 90), Bishop, O’Neil (Evans 90), Boyce, McSheffrey, Williams, Clarke, Hopper (Adelakun 83), Osbourne.

Unused substitutes: Anyon, McAllister, Murphy, Llera.

Attendance: 5,184 (591 Scunthorpe United fans)