Leyton Orient 2 - 2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Coca-Cola League One
ORIENT twice let a lead slip and missed the chance to head back to the League One summit on Saturday.
Twice they moved in front through goals from Wayne Gray and Jason Demetriou, but Albion responded strongly to both setbacks and certainly deserved their point.
It took a while for the game to come to life, but three goals in seven second half minutes set up a breathless finish, in which Orient were eventually quite happy to hold on.
Tamika Mkandawire theatened to get round the back and reach Charlie Daniels' inswinging free-kick on three minutes, but Albion's Guy Butters applied enough pressure to prevent Mkandawire from finding a decisive touch.
12 minutes later Paul Terry almost got on the end of a Gray cross after Butters blocked Adam Boyd's effort as Orient looked to establish an early lead.
But in truth, the opening 25 minutes was marked by sloppy play with neither side being able to make effective use of their possession.
However, with 27 minutes on the clock, former Seagulls loanee Gray found space into box to drill Orient into the lead.
Strike partner Boyd played a key role in the goal, laying off for Sean Thornton - back in the starting line-up following suspension - to thread a fine pass through to Gray, who had lost the attentions of Adam El-Abd and he fired into the roof of the net from 12 yards.
A clever corner move on 33 almost paved the way for a second, with Paul Terry making a undetected late run to meet Charlie Daniels' corner on the volley. The midfielder struck the ball well enough, but it deflected safely into keeper Michel Kuipers' hands.
George O'Callaghan lifted a 20-yard shot just over Stuart Nelson's crossbar with 38 minutes on the clock as Brighton looked to hit back, and Orient were forced into a reshuffle immediately afterwards when Thornton limped off. JJ Melligan was brought on to fill his position on the right wing.
Right on half time Dean Hammond - a one time O's loan player - had a headed goal ruled out for a push and then Bas Savage had penalty appeals turned down after a being eased away from danger by Alton Thelwell, allowing Nelson to collect.
The visitors' encouraging end to the first period gave them hope for after half time, but it was Orient who created the next chance, Demetriou cutting in from the left to receive a pass from Gray and shoot over the top.
Daniels then forced a spectacular save from Kuipers with a piledriver from range and it was the hosts who were back on the front foot.
But Brighton came back into the game again and sub Jake Robinson got in behind to send over a dangerous low cross from the right on 64. Alton Thelwell held off Nicky Forster at the near post, but the ball broke to Dean Cox, whose shot was blocked before it could threaten Nelson.
Four minutes later Forster drew the visitors level, taking advantage of some hesitant defending outside the area to catch Nelson out with a shot that went through his hands and into the top corner.
Almost immediately, though, Orient moved back into the lead. Gray did well to hold off his man, allowing Melligan in around the side to cross to the far post, where Demetriou was waiting to control and pick his spot from the corner of the six-yard box.
Orient's joy was not to last long as Brighton hit back with another equaliser with 75 minutes on the clock. Forster was again heavily involved, getting up well to head Robinson's cross against the crossbar. Cox was lurking to nod the loose ball home from close range.
Robinson hit the top of the O's crossbar as the game continued to ebb and flow at a breathless rate and it was Brighton who were looking the more likely winners.
Their best chance fell to Hammond, who dived in to head Cox's cross just wide, but Brighton were ultimately grateful to Kuipers for keeping out Gray's close-range effort with the last kick of the game.
Leyton Orient: Nelson; Purches, Thelwell, Mkandawire, Daniels; Thornton (Melligan 39), Chambers, Terry, Demetriou; Gray, Boyd (Ibehre 78)
Subs: Saah, Corden, Morris (GK)
Goals: Gray (27), Demetriou (70)
Brighton: Kuipers; El-Abd, Butters (Lynch 71), Elphick, Richards; Martot (Robinson 58), Hammond, O'Callaghan, Cox; Forster, Savage
Subs: Sullivan (GK), Elder, Fraser
Goals: Forster (68), Cox (75)
Booked: Elphick
Referee: Tony Bates (Staffordshire)
Attendance: 6,496 (1,297 away)
