Orient threw away a two goal lead to end up hanging on grimly in the midlands.

Ryan Jarvis scored in just the second minute to hand a lead to the side near the foot of League One over play-off chasing Walsall.

But the striker's on-off form in front of goal showed itself again later on, when he missed from all of two yards out.

Closing games out has been a problem for Orient all season and it was no different today, as they dropped two vital points.

Tamika Mkandawire had doubled the visitors lead on 29 minutes when he hammered home at point-blank range.

Stephen Purches beat Rhys Weston at the right hand touch line and squared the ball to Andros Townsend. His low pass to the far post was met by the on-rushing man from Mali.

It was a mirror image of Orient's first goal, when Jarvis was in the right place to hammer home Scott McGleish's parried shot, which was too hot to handle for Saddlers' keeper Clayton Ince.

But Troy Deeney struck twice in the second half to dash hopes of the merriest Christmas for Orient.

His first came a mere 12 seconds after kick-off, when he rose unmarked in the area to meet Peter Till's cross.

Ben Chorley and Mkandawire had looked so impressive at the back all through the first half, and Orient's best performer today would be one of that pair.

But Deeney's goal rocked the visitors, and the hosts capitalised.

Deeney levelled the score on 57 minutes with a resounding finish after a spell of head tennis in Orient's area.

Walsall should even have had all three points as Orient toiled without much success to create chances.

With 15 minutes left, Darren Byfield went through one-one-one against keeper Jamie Jones. Luckily for Orient and their 205 travelling fans, he opted to pass the ball into Jones' arms.

Andros Townsend had a quiet game on the left wing and Orient did not create a great many chances.

Walsall passed the ball well in the final third between Troy Deeney, Peter Till and Matt Richards.

But it was mosly powder-puff stuff from the hosts and Orient will feel aggrieved to be going into Christmas still just one place above the drop zone.

Jones, Purches, Chorley, Mkandawire, Melligan, McGleish, Thornton, Jarvis (Pires 83), Summerfield, Cave-Brown, Townsend.

Subs: Morris (GK), Ashworth, Chambers, Demetriou, Pires, Smith, Patulea.

Attendance 3,616 including 205 travelling O's fans