Rickie Lambert struck twice to deny Orient a win in a pulsating contest at Brisbane Road.

The hitman netted a brace in the final 15 minutes to wipe out Orient's advantage.

Tamika Mkandawire had headed Orient ahead with the very first attack of the game.

Then the host's doubled their advantage with an own-goal after Andros Townsend had whipped in a low cross.

In the end, Orient might have ended with nothing.

The Saints had more in the tank and poured forwards in the dying minutes.

Ben Chorley and Charlie Daniels were immense all through.

Glenn Morris was not at fault for either goal and impressed throughout.

The decision by O's boss Geraint Williams to throw on Ryan Jarvis and James Scowcroft for the final period as Orient were put to the sword was a talking point.

But the Saints are a quality side and are going places in League One.

In truth, Orient would probably have taken a point if offered it ahead of this tie.

But maybe not just one minute into it, when they grabbed an early lead with the very first attack of the game.

Tamika Mkandawire headed Melligan's hanging cross high into the top corner past Kelvin Davis.

That was his first and last contribution of this contest. The centre back injured his head in scoring and was replaced by Luke Ashworth.

A high-tempo ten minutes followed as Southampton piled on the pressure from the flanks and with high balls.

Morris was a safe pair of hands then.

But Orient had chances of their own.

Patulea was just an inch too short to meet Summerfield's 15th minute corner which McGleish won by hassling Radhi Jaidi. Patulea was un-marked.

Twenty minutes in, and Southampton were banging their head against an all-red wall.

Wayward shooting and high balls over the top to nobody did not worry the host's. They looked solid in defence.

The Saints' fans who filled the east stand spent the half raging at the referee, and everyone else.

Winger Papa Waigo, on the right wing, spent the half either on the turf or in Charlie Daniel's pocket.

When he did manage to fire a bball into the area, Ashworth was there.

On the other side, Stephen Purches had the dangerous Adam Lallana well marshalled.

The opening half hour was mainly defending for Orient, occasionally last ditch.

Chorley put in a leg to dispossess Lallana on the penalty spot after the Saints man had hassled Purches into error.

Soon afterwards, Purches did the same for Melligan when the midfielder was caught on the edge of the area by Dan Harding.

At the other end, Chorley could have two goals for himself from corners, but his header was wide and he fired his shot into the ground later on.

Lallana should have levelled the scores on 40 minutes. The ball fell at his feet in a penalty area muddle. His toe-poke shot was straight at Morris.

That was typical of the keeper's first half display. The ball always ended up in his gloves.

Goal machine Rickie Lambert was a virtual recluse all through the half.

His best effort was a stabbed effort on 44 minutes from eight yards which dribbled wide.

Orient defended deep throughout the half, so that just Patulea was sometimes the sole O's player the other side of the halfway line.

Morris was in action as soon as the second period kicked off.

Daniels lost possession on the edge of the area, Lambert whipped the ball in and Dean Hammond's header brought a diving save out of Orient's stand-in keeper.

Come 55 minutes, and Southampton were playing neat shot passes in midfield without a cutting edge.

And Orient's resiliance was rewarded on 56 minutes with a second goal.

It came via Townsend, who tore down the left flank put a fizzing low cross into the danger zone.

Under no real pressure, Saints back Neal Trotman heeled the ball so it looped over Davies into the net.

It was a dagger to the hearts of Saints fans. They fell silent, but not for long On the pitch, the hapless Waigo was booked a minute later when he took out his rage by charging Morris after he had collected the ball inhis arms.

Then lallana blazed wide when he should have scored after the ball fell loose to him in a melee which saw bodies flying in all directions and Daniels, who was immense, laid out prone next to the goal.

Now Southampton really piled on the pressure. Summerfield cleared off the line on 73 minutes.

But the goal was coming, and so it was predictable that dead-eye Lambert should get it.

He latched onto Dean Hammonds curving pass and eight yards was not going to miss.

The game was going to be a test of Orient's steel for then on.

On 76 minutes, Townsend showed he had something to offer, when he carved out space with his running for a wayward shot.

Southampton set up camp in Orient's final third.

Williams had Ryan Jarvis and James Scowcroft as fresh legs up front if a ball leaked to them through the wall of opponents shirts.

But something had to give and it did as Lambert lashed a shot into the top corner with The line of stewards broke too, as a Saints mod invaded the pitch.

It ended with Orient beneath the cosh and could might have even ended the game with nothing.

Chorley was the last man and he made a goal saving tackle.

Final score 2-2.

Morris, Purches, Chorley, Mkandawire (Ashworth 1), Melligan, McGleish (Scowcroft 71), Daniels, Summerfield, Smith, Patulea (Jarvis 79), Townsend.

Subs: Ashworth, Demetriou, Jarvis, Cave-Brown, Pires, Scowcroft, Butcher.

Attendance: 7,544, of which 3,208 were Southampton fans.