Leyton Orient 2 - 2 Scunthorpe United
Coca-Cola League One

ORIENT came from two goals down against Scunthorpe United on Saturday to stop their run of three consecutive defeats.

The O's looked dead and buried at the break after goals from Izzy Iriekpen and Paul Hayes gave the Iron a 2-0 lead.

But when visiting keeper Joe Murphy was sent off for upending JJ Melligan 11 minutes after the interval, the momentum swung back Orient's way.

Adam Boyd missed the penalty but converted the rebound, and Stephen Purches completed the comeback when he struck his first Brisbane Road goal on 67.

It gave the O's 23 minutes to search for a winner, but Scunthorpe defended their point well and both sides had to settle for a draw.

Scunthorpe fired an early warning shot when Martyn Woolford moved inside off the left flank before drilling wide of the far post.

The visitors were looking lively and Gary Hooper beat the offside trap in the 21st minute, but had his low cross cut out by Purches with Woolford lurking.

Five minutes later the Iron opened the scoring and Orient would not have been happy with the way they defended Grant McCann's corner.  Alton Thelwell was guilty of misjudging the bounce of the ball, allowing Iriekpen to lash home from 12 yards.

Woolford forced another save from Morris when he sent in a curling shot from the left channel and Scunthorpe were good value for their lead.

Orient's best move of the half came in the 43rd minute when Simon Dawkins set Jason Demetriou clear with a pass down the middle.  Demetriou passed square to Boyd, who moved the ball on to Andrew Cave-Brown and he fired just wide of the far post.

In first half stoppage time, the outlook became even bleaker for the home side when Hayes nipped in front of Morris to nod McCann's free kick into an unguarded net.

But they were given a lifeline 11 minutes after the interval when Melligan burst clear and was upended by keeper Murphy as he tried to take the ball around him.

Referee Anthony Taylor had no hesitation in dismissing the Iron stopper, but Boyd needed two bites of the cherry to get the O's back in it after sub keeper Josh Lillis saved his penatly. Fortunately for the O's striker, the ball rebounded straight back to him to slam into the vacant net.

Orient didn't have to wait long for the equaliser, with Purches finding himself in an advanced position from left back to collect Boyd's reverse ball inside the area and place the ball beyond Lillis' grasp in the 67th minute.

The atmosphere inside Brisbane Road had changed completely and Simon Dawkins spurned a glorious chance to give Orient the lead 15 minutes from time when Lillis slipped when attempting a kick, giving the ball straight to the O's striker.

Dawkins was 30 yards from goal, and at an angle, but he should have done better than finding the goalkeeper's legs with his shot.

At the other end, McCann reminded Orient that they couldn't have it all their own way when he sent a searing left-footed drive inches wide of the far post.

Hooper almost stole it for the away side in stoppage time with a close range shot that Morris blocked at the near post, but neither side could find another way through with both claiming a point.

Leyton Orient: Morris; Cave-Brown (Palmer 89), Thelwell, Saah, Purches; Melligan, Chambers, Terry, Demetriou; Dawkins (Jarvis 78), Boyd
Subs: Jones (GK), B Gray, Ashworth

Goals: Boyd 59, Purches 67

Booked: Demetriou, Terry

Scunthorpe: Murphy; Byrne, Iriekpen, Pearce, Williams; Sparrow, Togwell, McCann, Woolford (Lillis 58); Hayes (Forte 85), Hooper
Subs: Mirfin, Morris, May

Goals: Iriekpen 26, Hayes 45+1

Booked: Hayes, Byrne

Sent off: Murphy

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Lancashire)

Attendance: 4,244 (660 away)