Leyton Orient fell to late defeat against Newport as their League Two promotion hopes took a hit at the Breyer Group Stadium on Tuesday.

Kenny Jackett made three changes to his side from Saturday's goalless draw with Port Vale, with Jordan Brown coming in for his debut and Otis Khan making his first start.

And after a fairly quiet opening, the visitors had the first sight of goal on 13 minutes when a long throw into the box caused some confusion and Alex Fisher fired wide.

Dan Kemp did well to intercept a Newport pass and find Harry Smith, but his shot could not trouble Nick Townsend in the visiting goal.

And the hosts had a let-off on 17 minutes when Courtney Baker-Richardson headed against a post, although the linesman's flag was raised for offside.

Townsend had a scare on 24 minutes as Aaron Drinan closed down his clearance, but Lawrence Vigouroux had to produce a superb save just past the half-hour mark to tip Fisher's header over the crossbar.

Brown was off-target from 25 yards on 37 minutes and he hammered another effort just wide of the mark on the stroke of half time.

Paul Smyth replaced Drinan during the break but Brown was shown a yellow card just three minutes into the second half for a late challenge on Ryan Haynes.

And after Khan and Smyth put pressure on the Exiles defence, visiting captain Mickey Demetriou had his name taken for a cynical push on the Irishman.

Alex Mitchell produced a superb block to deny Baker-Richardson in a dangerous position just past the hour, with Kemp making way for Ruel Sotiriou midway through the half in Jackett's second change of the night.

Smyth saw a free-kick deflected safely into the arms of Townsend and Smith's knockdown in the box could not find a teammate, before Smyth turned in his own box and ran goalwards to fire straight at the visiting keeper on 77 minutes.

Dan Moss replaced Connor Wood for the final eight minutes of normal time, but Hector Kyprianou was then booked just moments later and Newport broke the deadlock on 85 minutes as Callum Norman scored at the far post following a corner.

Moss and Khan went close as O's pushed for an equaliser, but they could not find a way back during five minutes of stoppage time.

Orient: Vigouroux, Wood (Moss 82), Smith, Kemp (Sotiriou 68), Khan, Mitchell, Drinan (Smyth 46), Beckles, Ogie, Kyprianou, Brown.
Unused subs: Sargeant, Happe, Thompson, Young.
Attendance: 3,413.