Leyton Orient 1 - 2 Oldham Athletic
Coca-Cola League 1

ORIENT saw their unbeaten start to the season go up in smoke with a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Oldham Athletic on Saturday.

Geraint Williams' side came into their first home game of the season buoyed by two wins from two starts in 2009/10, but the defensive solidity that characterised those victories at Bristol Rovers and Colchester was sadly absent against the Latics.

A Tamika Mkandawire mistake was pounced upon by Oldham striker Pawel Abbott to score his first of a personal double, with the second coming after Sean Thornton fouled Andy Holdsworth in the box.

Ryan Jarvis scored his first League goal in over a year in the middle of all that, but his efforts counted for little on an afternoon that left the majority of the 4,000 inside Brisbane Road frustrated.

Mkandawire drew a good save from Latics keeper Dean Brill in the sixth minute, sending a header towards goal after JJ Melligan delivered a cross from the right.

12 minutes later, though, Oldham moved into an early lead when Mkandawire's heavy touch on the half way line presented the visitors with a chance to break.

Abbott powered towards goal, and although his first effort was blocked by Ben Chorley, his second attempt was more effective, with Jamie Jones' touch only helping the ball on its way into the net.

Oldham's goal came as a blow to an Orient side looking to build on two away wins in the opening week but they were level before the break - and from an unlikely source.

Jarvis went an entire season without a League goal for the O's, but he has returned as a different player this term and his sharp run towards the near post was rewarded when he stabbed Melligan's cross home from close range as goalkeeper Brill and his defenders left the ball for each other.

Orient were below their best in the opening period so they were grateful to reach the interval level, although Oldham should have punished their hosts right at the start of the second period when Reuben Hazell met Keigan Parker's free kick close to goal, but could only divert the ball over the top.

With 54 minutes on the clock, Orient had to breathe another huge sigh of relief when Mkandawire and Jones hesitated over a long ball, allowing Abbott to nip and and nick the ball around the O's keeper. Fortunately for the hosts, Abbott's touch was too heavy and he couldn't reach it to knock into an unguarded net.

Orient couldn't expect to get away with their sloppiness forever and they were duly punished five minutes later when Thornton won possession off Chris Taylor, but then left the ball for Stephen Purches, who was expecting Thornton to keep hold of it.

Holdsworth took advantage by bursting on to the ball and Thornton's response was to chop down the Huddersfield man as he entered the area. Abbott made no mistake from 12 yards, sending Jones the wrong way to re-establish a lead.

Thornton tried to atone for his error three minutes later when he curled a free kick just over the top, while Jarvis had a dangerous low cross cut out by Brill but Orient were finding it hard going against a resolute Oldham side.

At the other end Abbott had a shot deflect behind off Chorley as he looked for his hat trick, and although he couldn't find it, two was enough to see off the O's on a disappointing afternoon in E10.

Leyton Orient: Jones; Purches, Chorley, Mkandawire, Daniels; Melligan (Townsend 66), Smith, Thornton, Demetriou; McGleish (Scowcroft 66), Jarvis (Patulea 75)
Subs: Morris (GK), Ashworth, Cave-Brown, Pires

Goal: Jarvis 31

Booked: Demetriou, Purches, Thornton

Oldham: Brill; Holdsworth, Hazell, Gregan, Gilbert; Worthington, Furman, Marrow (Lomax 78); Parker (Byfield 83), Abbott (Whitaker 83), Taylor
Subs: O'Grady, Alessandra, Lee, Kazimierczak (GK)

Goals: Abbott 12, Abbott pen 59

Booked: Holdsworth, Gilbert, Parker, Worthington, Marrow

Referee: Graham Scott

Attendance: 4,061 (297 away)