Leyton Orient 2 - 4 Hartlepool United
Coca-Cola League One

ORIENT were condemned to their first league defeat of the season on Saturday when an accomplished performance from newly-promoted Hartlepool United carried them to success at Brisbane Road.

The O's gave themselves a shout with second half goals from JJ Melligan and Charlie Daniels, but once Ian Moore had opened the scoring in the 10th minute, Hartlepool were always in front and they certainly deserved the points.

Moore was on target again at the death, and his double strike sandwiched goals from James Brown and Andy Monkhouse as Pools moved to within three points of the O's.

Sean Thornton was booked in the very first minute of the game for a foul on Jamie McCunnie and it set the tone for a lively opening to the game.

Both sides were making an effort to force an early breakthrough but it was the visitors who edged into a 10th minute lead.

Striker Moore got in down the right to reach a lofted ball and power towards goal, Stuart Nelson parried his initial attempt at a lob, but the Pools striker pounced on the rebound to stroke into an empty net.

Six minutes later, Moore created another chance for himself when he controlled James Brown's low ball into the box, turned well and shot wide of the far post.

Hartlepool were passing the ball around with some authority in the opening stages and Brown was next to go close, cutting in from the left flank before dragging a shot wide from the edge of the box.

Orient were very much second best in the first half and Brown wasted an excellent opportunity to make it 2-0 six minutes before the break. The hosts were relieved to see the Pools winger shoot wide of the far post with his left foot after manufacturing an opportunity for himself inside the area.

But for all Hartlepool's dominance, Orient should still have gone in at the break level when Adam Boyd controlled a high ball from Alton Thelwell in the right hand side of the penalty area.

The former Hartlepool man stood up an excellent cross to the far post, but away keeper Jan Budtz got the faintest of touches to put off Wayne Gray and force him to head wide from in front of goal.

However, the visitors reasserted themselves at the start of the second period and they made it 2-0 with 51 minutes on the clock. Adam Chambers was caught in possession 25 yards from goal and Brown unleashed an immediate shot that skipped up off the turf and bounced over Nelson's dive.

Orient needed to find inspiration from somewhere and it arrived, out of the blue, five minutes later. There didn't appear to be an awful lot on when Melligan cut inside from the right and exchanged passes with Chambers.

But he moved the ball back onto his right foot and drove home - via the underside of the crossbar - from 25 yards.

The O's used the opportunity to put Hartlepool under pressure for the first time, but they still struggled to create clear chances against a resolute Pools backline.

Sub Daniels, though, could have brought the O's level with ten minutes left to play. Melligan burst clear from Godwin Antwi and Michael Nelson down the right and sent over a teasing cross that Budtz could only palm away.

The ball dropped nicely for Daniels to volley, but the keeper got behind his shot to beat it away to safety.

But Pools re-established a two-goal lead six minutes from the end when winger Monkhouse played a one-two with Joel Porter on the edge of the box before lashing a fierce effort home.

Orient gave themselves a lifeline three minutes later when Melligan's cross dropped to Daniels at the far post and the on-loan Spurs man controlled before firing past Budtz from eight yards.

The O's were pushing for an equaliser, but their hopes of extending their unbeaten record were finally extinguished in the third minute of stoppage time when Moore slotted home his second of the afternoon.

Orient: Nelson; Terry (Demetriou 62), Thelwell, Mkandawire, Palmer; Melligan, Chambers, Thornton, Corden (Daniels 67); Gray (Echanomi 73), Boyd
Subs: Morris (GK), Oji

Goals: Melligan (57), Daniels (87)

Booked: Thornton, Mkandawire

Hartlepool: Budtz; McCunnie, Nelson, Antwi, Humphreys; Monkhouse, Boland (Clarke 82), Liddle, Brown (Porter 74); Barker (Mackay 90), Moore
Subs: Elliott, Lee-Barratt (GK)

Goals: Moore (10, 90+3), Brown (51), Monkhouse (84)

Booked: Monkhouse, Moore

Referee: Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire)

Attendance: 5,325 (423 away)