Orient cannot banish thoughts of the drop yet, after they lost a game with a performance which merited at least a point.

Orient played some attractive passing football in the first and final half hour's without reward, and were better than Walsall for whole swathes of this encounter.

The game also saw the return of Jabo Ibehre, who was a fans favourite during his time at Brisbane Road. Starting up front alongside top scorer Troy Deeney, he produced a enigmatic performance of the sort that frustrated Orient fans when he was at E10.

But he got a rousing cheer when he was subbed off late in the game.

Walsall struck in the lull before half time.

Saddlers' top scorer, Troy Deeney cut open the defence with a through ball which Mark Bradley slotted past Jones.

That it came after Orient had given away possession through a misplaced pass by Charlie Daniels, made the visitors' bizarre long-boat style goal celebration extra irksome for the Orient fans in the South Stand.

Any expectation of a win over mid table Walsall might have been optimistic given Orient's trying season.

But Geraint Williams side looked like they meant business chasing a fourth straight win against opponents without a win in four.

The hosts began with verve, still without top scorer Adam Boyd.

Demetriou on the left and Thornton in the middle of midfield looked to be on their game as they displayed good touch and produced passes which tested Walsall's defence.

McGleish had two chances inside the visitors' area in the opening ten minutes which came after spells of prolonged possession in the final third. The first a raking shot from a tight angle which Clayton Ince in goal saved sprawling to his right. The second a header over the bar.

He and strike partner Simon Church, who has committed himself to Orient for the rest of the season, kept backs Manny Smith and Rhys Weston on their toes with typical strong running and McGleish's powerful ariel presence throughout this game.

Wallsal did threaten.

On 22 minutes, Sofiene Zaaboub drifted into the box from the left, went round captain Stephen Purches and blazed a shot which Jones tipped just over the bar into the South Stand.

The game took on a pedestrian pace as the first half wore on. Walsall began to impress themselves. Jabo Ibehre went close to scoring on 40 minutes when he stooped low to a cross.

Orient's usually solid back of Purches, Spence, Mkandawire, and Daniels were troubled by a Zaaboub free kick which pinged around in the six yard box.

But the momentum swung towards Walsall, and they capitalised on the brink of half time.

The visitors had few chances in the second, as Orient searched for an equaliser.

Jimmy Smith came close to levelling the game in the 53rd minute. From a Daniels cross he blazed from a tight angle on the right which Ince saved at point blank range.

Soon after, McGleish fired wide past Ince's left hand post.

With eight minutes left, Demetriou's technically impressive turn and shot was parried by Ince out for a corner. He then supplied the kick which Daniels got his head on and sent just past the right post.

But the toil was for nothing.

The final whistle signalled Orient's tenth home defeat of the season. After the heroics of last week, this result reminds all that the O's are still right in it at the bottom of League One.

Attendance: 3,969 of which: 212, Walsall.