TWO penalties either side of half time condemned Town to a 2-0 defeat at high-flying Leyton Orient.
Lloyd James found the net on both occasions for the home side while the O’s also had a second half goal disallowed on a disappointing afternoon for Swindon in east London.
Ryan Harley, Michael Smith, Jamie Reckord and Ben Gladwin were all included in the starting XI while there was a return to the substitutes bench for Alex Smith. An injury to Wes Foderingham in the warm up forced a late change between the sticks, with Tyrell Belford taking his place in goal.
The young goalkeeper was in action early on as he spread himself to block Dagnall’s close-range effort. The Orient front-man went close again on 20 minutes; latching onto a looping pass forward, he diverted the ball goalwards but watched as it struck the woodwork and rolled into the grateful arms of Belford.
Odubajo also lashed an effort into the stands while at the other end, a rare Town effort on goal arrived courtesy of Massimo Luongo who rifled a shot over the crossbar. Earlier, Jacob Murphy had struck an effort of his own well wide of goal and Michael Smith had beaten the goalkeeper to a loose back-pass but could only stab the ball off-target.
Minutes before the break, the home side went in front from the penalty spot. Jamie Reckord brought down Odubajo in the box and up stepped Lloyd James to calmly send Belford the wrong way and side-foot home.
No sooner had the second half started, Town found themselves two goals down. Troy Archibald-Henville was guilty of a foul in the box and Orient were awarded their second spot kick of the game. James stepped up and found the net for the second time.
Spurred into life by the deficit, Town probed for a way back into the match. Ryan Harley’s deflected effort forced Jakupovic into a smart stop low down to his left.
Next, the ball was played into Michael Smith who wriggled inside the defender. As the loose ball ran for the striker, Jamie Reckord arrived to unleash a snapshot that never really troubled the O’s goalkeeper.
Orient did have the ball in the back of the net for a third time but Dagnall’s header was ruled out for a foul in the build-up.
Mooney then curled an effort wide of goal before Belford saved well from substitute Shaun Batt.
Before the game was over, Belford had to be alert again to keep out Dean Cox with a flying save to his right.
