Southend United 2 - 1 Leyton Orient
totesport.com Combination Eastern Division

ORIENT'S reserves went down to a 2-1 defeat at Southend United on Tuesday afternoon, despite dominating for most of the Roots Hall clash.

Ryan Jarvis fired the visitors in front, while they hit the woodwork twice, but they couldn't build on their lead and the Shrimpers hit back in the second half with their winner coming in the very last minute.

Assistant manager Dean Smith said: "We played well and were the better side throughout, so it was disappointing to lose.

"We should have won comfortably but didn't make the most of our chances."

Paul Terry fired against the crossbar as Orient started strongly and it came as no surprise when they moved into the lead with 31 minutes on the clock.

Jarvis - who scored at Roots Hall in Orient's Johnstone's Paint Trophy victory earlier this season - was the goalscorer, collecting Loick Pires' cross before finishing from 10 yards.

The same player then hit the crossbar, while Southend keeper Ian Joyce made two excellent saves to deny Simon Dawkins.

But Orient couldn't add to their lead and Southend drew level five minutes after the break when Rhys Henry scored in stunning fashion from 25 yards.

The visitors remained on top though, and continued to create chances with Joyce preventing Aiden Palmer and Jarvis efforts from breaching his goal.

Southend stood firm and punished the O's in the final minute through Craig Calver to send the Londoners to defeat.

Orient: Jamie Jones; Brandon Martin, Andrew Cave-Brown, Pat O'Donnell; Aiden Palmer; Solomon Shields (Harry Baker 70), Paul Terry, Justin Cochrane, Loick Pires (Bradley Gray 70); Simon Dawkins, Ryan Jarvis