League One: Leyton Orient 1 Swindon Town 2

A goal in either half saw Leyton Orient go down once again as the winless run at Brisbane Road was extended to six games by a solid Swindon Town.

The hosts started brightly but Michael Smith put Mark Cooper’s side in front on 29 minutes and Nathan Byrne’s effort two minutes into the second half doubled their lead.

Darius Henderson gave them late hope with a headed effort deep into stoppage time, but it was too late to salvage anything.

Caretaker boss Kevin Nugent made three changes from the side which lost 3-2 to Rochdale at Brisbane Road last week, with skipper Nathan Clarke returning for Elliot Omozusi, while Marvin Bartley came in for the injured Lloyd James and Jay Simpson replaced Darius Henderson.

The O’s spent the opening few minutes on the back foot, but soon turned it in their favour when Simpson beat the offside trap, and found an onrushing Dean Cox but Swindon skipper Nathan Thompson got back to head clear off the line.

Cox was once again lively and after intercepting a cross field Swindon ball he jinked his way upfield but shot over the bar.

The O’s just couldn’t work it well in the final third and Jobi McAnuff had another effort but his deflected shot was just wide.

And just two minutes later Swindon were ahead when they launched a swift counter attack and Michael Smith took one touch before seeing his deflected effort land in to the top left hand corner.

It could have got worse for the O’s before the half was out as Byrne saw an effort deflected behind for a corner.

Orient would have been hoping for a response from his side after the break but it was the visitors who doubled their lead inside two minutes.

This time Smith turned provider as he ball through the O’s defence found the run of Byrne and he slotted past an onrushing Woods.

Orient went in search of an immediate response and Dagnall was presented with a great chance after some confusion amongst the Swindon defence, however, he flicked the effort just wide of the target.

Darius Henderson was brought on to try and inject some life into the O’s, but it simply wasn’t happening.

And it was the visitors who looked like sealing the win when Amari Bell was left unmarked in the box, but his shot was tipped over by Woods.

Shaun Batt came on for the O’s and his endeavour certainly gave the O’s a boost as he quickly won a free-kick.

And Cox’s delivery for the set piece found the head of Cuthbert, but it was a simple save for Foderingham to make.

Batt then saw an effort blocked by the Robins goalkeeper as strike partner Henderson played him in, before Vincelot saw a header just evade the target following a Cuthbert’s cross.

The O’s did reduce the deficit in the fifth minute ot stoppage time as he headed in a right-wing cross from Cuthbert, and that gave them fresh hope.

There was carnage in the Swindon box and a late chance of a leveller fell to Batt but the striker couldn’t make the most of the opportunity and they fell to their fourth home defeat on the trot.

Leyton Orient: Woods, Cuthbert, Baudry, Clarke, Lowry, McAnuff, Bartley, Vincelot, Cox, Simpson (Batt 75), Dagnall (Henderson 50).

Unused substitutes: Omozusi, Lee, Pritchard, Kashket, Grainger.

Swindon Town: Foderingham, N Thompson, Luongo, Byrne, Stephens, Turnbull, Kasim, A Smith, Williams (Reeves 86), Bell, L Thompson.

Unused substitutes: Belford, Barthram, Waldon, Barker, B Smith, Rodgers.

Attendance: 5,422 (1,220 Swindon Town fans)