ORIENT must put their late Norwich horrow show behind them in time for a crunch bottom-four clash with Wycombe Wanderers this Saturday.

The O's have slipped back into the relegation zone after four goals in the final 15 minutes left them reeling at Carrow Road on Tuesday evening.

Manager Geraint Williams pointed to the 53rd-minute dismissal of JJ Melligan as the catalyst to Norwich City's victory.

He said: “It doesn’t matter whether I think it was the right decision or not. The red card was given, we were down to ten men and we ended up losing the game 4-0.

“I don’t know what impact it had on the game, but if it had been 11v11 it would have been totally different. What we do know is that when we were a man down, we found it a lot harder. We’re still disappointed to concede four goals, but it certainly didn’t make the job any easier and it was 0-0 at the time.

“We did defend well up until the last 15 minutes, and when you come to places like this you have to do that.

“We started brightly and Charlie Daniels hit the bar with a great shot.

We didn’t create too much after that, but we were settled.

“I think the game was very finely balanced and going a man down tipped it Norwich’s way.”

The O's frustrated the Canaries for more than an hour, with City peppering the east Londoners' goal with shot after shot, but goalkeeper Jamie Jones was in inspired form.

He kept out Wes Hoolahan and Grant Holt on numerous occasions, and the O's back four, which was well marshalled by Tamika Mkandawire, performed admirably.

But ten minutes into the second half the red mist descended on Carrow Road.

First, former Ipswich forward Jamie Scowcroft, jeered by the home fans throughout, was booked after a thunderous tackle on Michael Spillane.

Moments later Melligan was given his marching orders, when he received a straight red card for a crunching challenge on Adam Drury.

The extra man made a real difference, as Norwich scored four times in the last 15 minutes to seal what had looked like an unlikely win up until then.

After Saturday's 1-0 home win over Millwall, hopes were raised that Orient had turned the corner after a disappointing recent spell.

But it is now back to the drawing board for Williams, as he prepares to take his troops to Wycombe, another side currently languising at the wrong end of the table.