Leyton Orient slumped to their second defeat in four days after losing 2-0 at home to Colchester United this evening.

Colchester took the lead in a surprisingly open first half through a neat finish from captain Anthony Wordsworth.

Any hopes of a comeback from Orient were ended abruptly at the start of the second half when Ian Henderson was quickest to react from close range after goalkeeper Ryan Allsop had parried a strike. 

Russell Slade made just one change from the side which lost at Oldham on Saturday. Dean Cox returned to the midfield in place of Anthony Griffith. Winger Lee Cook recovered from a virus to start on the bench for the O's.

The visitors came into the game in good form under new manager Joe Dunne who guided them to four wins in their last five league outings. 

Colchester started brightly and had the look of a confident side with Wordsworth firing in a long-range shot which Allsop comfortably held.

The away side created another opportunity through Brian Wilson's stinging effort which was parried by the Orient keeper.

Orient should have taken the lead when Dean Cox sent in the cross but Ryan Brunt sent his close-range effort over the bar.

Visiting keeper Mark Cousins was called into action after 20 minutes when he made a sharp save from Scott Wagstaff's strike.

Colchester were still looking dangerous and former Watford striker Gavin Massey cut inside but his effort was too close to Allsop.

Charlton attacker Wagstaff had another chance to get his first goal for the club but his strike was parried by Cousins.

Colchester immediately broke down the other end and opened the scoring as skipper Wordsworth curled a fine strike into the corner of the net. 

Former Orient player Jabo Ibehre had the first shot of the second half but his effort was straight at Allsop.

Colchester doubled their lead six minutes after the restart. Craig Eastmond's strike was saved by Allsop but Henderson was quickest to follow up and he managed to scramble the ball into the net.

Orient needed a spark and Slade made a double substitution with Cook and David Mooney brought on for Cox and Brunt.

The hosts had the ball in the back of the net when Wagstaff tapped in after Moses Odubajo's strike was parried but the flag went up for offside. 

But this was a rare threat for the home side who have struggled badly for goals this season with just 11 in their previous 13 league games.

The O's were unable to get on the scoresheet at Brisbane Road and supporters were left looking down, rather than up, the table after their fourth defeat in the last five League One matches.

Leyton Orient: Allsop; Chorley, Clarke, McSweeney, Sawyer; Cox (Cook, 62), Smith, Odubajo, Rowlands, Wagstaff; Brunt (Mooney, 62)

Subs not used: Jones, Baudry, Griffith, Symes, James

Colchester United: Cousins; Rose, Okunghae, Eastman, Wilson; Eastmond (O'Toole, 80), Bean (Duguid, 84), Wordsworth, Ibehre, Henderson; Massey (Sears, 75)

Subs not used: Nkumu, White, Wright, Pentney

Referee: Dean Whitestone

Attendance: 3,378