A GOALKEEPING howler by Jamie Jones marked the beginning of the end at Charlton Athletic last weekend, but was a deep problem exposed in Orient’s play by his blunder?

Jones mistakenly threw the ball to hitman Bradley Wright-Phillips in a fluffed bid to play out from the back, as inculcated so successfully by boss Russell Slade this season.

Wright-Phillips accepted the gift and slotted the ball through the despairing Jones’ legs to hand Charlton a 73rd-minute advantage that they never gave up.

At full-time, Orient’s red-faced stopper was consoled by the club’s goalkeeping staff, as Orient trudged off after a 3-1 defeat.

It was a rare blunder by an otherwise good goalkeeper, but it did raise one question: have Orient been found out?

The O's toiled fruitlessly before and after Scott McGleish had headed them in front from close range on 16 minutes.

It was a personal landmark for the striker - his 200th professional goal at the club at which his career began.

But out-of-form Charlton played so deep during the first half that Orient should have fashioned more chances.

Orient loanee Tommy Carroll had enormous amounts of space to himself, but it was not utilised to full effect.

Charlton then held a higher line up the pitch after the break, with Dean Parrett at the fulcrum.

The result was to totally confound Orient’s passing game.

The tables were turned comprehensively by Charlton.

Orient’s tactics stopped working and, when Jones tried to kick-start things, a spectacular misfire was the result.

The hosts hit three unanswered goals during the second half.

Worryingly for the O's, they looked low on luck as well.

Two minutes before Wright-Phillips struck, Jimmy Smith saw his headed goal ruled out for a phantom push in the box, spotted only by the referee.

Not for nothing is luck highly prized by leaders.

Napolean Bonaparte, tactical military genius, would ask of his generals: ‘Is he lucky?’ After Wright Philips, Jose Semedo struck to secure a first win in 12 games for boss Chris Powell’s side, after ex-Dagenham & Redbridge striker Paul Benson had levelled proceedings on 50 minutes.

Near full-time, Harry Kane and Stephen Dawson each hit the woodwork for Orient, as the hosts clung on.

Now Orient will hope to get fate back on side as the campaign enters its climactic final phase.

Add in an alternative way of playing when the situation demands, and Slade can guide Orient into the play-offs yet.