LEYTON Orient struck twice late on to end Newport County’s four-game unbeaten run in League Two, as Michael Flynn’s men failed to hit the heights of their victory over Swindon Town.

County suffered a double blow just before kick-off when skipper Joss Labadie and defender Ryan Inniss dropped out of what was going to be an unchanged starting XI from the defeat of Swindon Town.

Boss Flynn later revealed that Labadie felt unwell and Inniss had a problem with his calf.

Robbie Willmott and Matty Dolan moved up from the bench and Ryan Howkins took his place among the substitutes, meaning the Exiles were one short of the maximum seven permitted replacements.

The only change to the original team sheet had been the return of Padraig Amond from injury to replace on-loan Dale Gorman, who couldn’t play against his parent club.

With Inniss out, County went from three centre-backs to a back four, with Willmott and Dolan slotting into the midfield alongside Scot Bennett and Josh Sheehan.

A touching moment before the game started saw Orient’s West Stand officially renamed The Justin Edinburgh Stand in honour of the former O’s and Exiles boss.

Edinburgh’s widow Kerri and children Charlie and Cydnie were present to oversee the renaming.

There was not much to talk about in the opening stages other than a crucial clearance by Mickey Demetriou and Tristan Abrahams taking a knock which required treatment.

The first real chance for either side came on 13 minutes when Orient’s Ruel Sotiriou, who scored at Rodney Parade late last month, found Jordan Maguire-Drew and he fired over from 10 yards.

County’s first effort on target was a Dolan free-kick that Sam Sargeant collected with ease.

Tom King’s hadn’t had much to do until the 22nd minute, and it was a mishit clearance from one of his own players that got him involved.

County looked to have cleared the danger when Jamille Matt inadvertently hooked the ball back over his own head, but King came to the rescue thanks to a super fingertip save.

The Exiles keeper was called on again soon after.

This time it was an inswinging cross by Maguire-Drew that he needed to tip over before it drifted into the far corner.

The livewire Maguire-Drew, who gave Ashley Baker a tough afternoon, was beginning to prove a constant threat down County’s right.

The visitors were doubling up on him at times, but he still managed to test the busy King with a flashing drive that the keeper got a finger to.

At the other end, there was little for the County fans to cheer, their side unable to maintain any sort of pressure with Abrahams and Matt well marshalled.

County would have to be better after the break.

The second half was only seconds old when Mark O’Brien was writhing in agony on the floor having gone down under a challenge that looked innocuous.

Thankfully, the defender was able to continue, re-entering the fray as Dolan was scythed down by Ouss Cisse – both challenges went unpunished.

Flynn made his first change on the hour, bringing on Jordan Green for Abrahams to inject more pace into his side’s game.

Former Orient man Green might have had a chance to show his speed straight away had Bennett been able to release the substitute on the counter-attack.

Seven minutes after Green’s introduction, and with George Nurse having replaced Dolan, Matt squandered a great opportunity.

Sargeant may have been blocked as he tried to catch Willmott’s corner, but the home keeper missed the ball and Matt, steaming in behind the gloveman, couldn’t connect properly with his head.

Sargeant was called on to save from Matt again, before Green went into the referee’s notebook for hauling down James Brophy as the O’s man surged forward.

You got the feeling that if either side was going to snatch the three points in the closing stages it was going to be the hosts.

And with nine minutes left, the O’s did just that.

A corner was swung to the far post and the ball ended up in the net – it was announced over the stadium PA as a Marvin Ekpiteta goal, but later credited as an own goal by Ryan Haynes.

With that, Flynn brought on Amond, but things then went from bad to worse for the Exiles.

In the 89th minute, Josh Wright broke free down the right and crossed for Sotiriou to fire a half-volley into the roof of the net.

County gave themselves hope of a point when, in the fifth minute of time added on, Matt met a free-kick at the far post to head home.

But despite a frantic final few minutes, Orient held on to end County’s unbeaten run.

County: King, O'Brien, Demetriou, Bennett, Baker (Amond 83), Haynes, Sheehan, Willmott, Dolan (Nurse 65), Abrahams (Green 61), Matt. Subs not used: Townsend, Waters, Howkins.

Referee: David Rock

Attendance: 5,084 (427 County fans)

Argus star man: Tom King