Stockport County 2 Leyton Orient 1 ORIENT slipped into the bottom four for the first time this season as they fell to defeat at Edgeley Park and have now gone eight games without a win. Tamika Mkandawire bagged an 88th-minute goal for the visitors, but

Stockport County 2 Leyton Orient 1

ORIENT slipped into the bottom four for the first time this season as they fell to defeat at Edgeley Park and have now gone eight games without a win.

Tamika Mkandawire bagged an 88th-minute goal for the visitors, but it was too little, too late, after the home side had wrapped up the points with second half strikes from Nicholas Bignall and Greg Tansley.

To complete a miserable afternoon for the visitors, they lost skipper Stephen Purches with a fractured cheekbone early in the first half.

It was just the sort of start manager Geraint Williams could have done without, as he made four changes to the side who had drawn at home to Exeter the previous weekend.

Goalkeeper Jamie Jones was restored to the team, as Glenn Morris dropped to the bench.

While the manager changed his strike force, with James Scowcroft and Ryan Jarvis coming into the side to lead the attack, with Scott McGleish and Adrian Patulea named as substitutes.

There was also a first start for on-loan signing Kristian O'Leary, in place of the injured Adam Chambers.

It was Stockport who created the first opening, but Bignall, on loan from Reading, shot straight at Jones, after linking well with David Poole.

The O's were forced into an early change when Purches was carried from the field following a collision with Michael Rose as the pair slid in for a loose ball.

It meant an early introduction for Orient substitute Andrew Cave-Brown, but with the visitors struggling to find their feet, it was left to Jones to keep his side on terms, as he dived to his left to touch Carl Baker's 20-yard drive on to the post.

The visitors were unlucky not to be awarded a spot-kick on 20 minutes, when Jarvis was dragged back by Michael Raynes as he looked to latch on to O'Leary's through ball, but the assistant ruled that contact had taken place outside the area and Charlie Daniels' free-kick was deflected behind.

Stockport broke the deadlock four minutes into the second half when Bignall burst clear and finished in style.

O's looked to get back into the game when Andros Williams replaced O'Leary, but County wrapped up the points when Tansley fired home an effort into the bottom corner on 77 minutes.

Mkandawire did cut the deficit when he netted from close range two minutes from time, but it wasn't enough.