Oxford United's six game unbeaten run came to an end this afternoon as Leyton Orient came from behind to win 2-1 at the Kassam Stadium.
Having taken the lead through a Tyler Goodrham flick in the first half, United were pegged back when Ollie O'Neill levelled soon after the break before George Moncur thumped home a late winner as United's early promise faded in the early spring sunshine.
The Yellows started brightly enough, with the early incidents centring, as so often, around Cameron Brannagan; a penalty appeal waved away, a free kick easily clasped by keeper Sol Brynn and then after 20 minutes, United made the breakthrough as a magnificent ball from Mark Harris sent Ruben Rodrigues into space down the right.
His cross was flicked goalward by Tyler Goodrham and an extra touch from Galbraith made sure to make it 1-0. Let’s give it as a Goodrham goal, are we all agreed?
That opened up the game and Orient looked dangerous without really looking like scoring before the break. Jamie Cumming made a decent save from George Moncur but otherwise United were untroubled before the interval, despite Orient seeing plenty of the ball. They saw even more as the second half went onint, and six minutes after the interval, they found themselves back on level terms when a clever one-touch passing move inside the box ended with O'Neill able to turn and fire across Cumming to make it 1-1.
Cumming needed to make a good save to push a Tom James free kick over the bar just before the hour, and Rodrigues smuggled the ball round the post from the resulting corner as the O's alphabetic seniority looked increasingly like paying off. In the end it was Moncur who found the winner, evading two men on the left of the box and powering the ball into the roof of the net with Cumming helpless.
United tried their best to respond and threw men forward. Brynn made a save from a Ciaron Brown header and another effort flew wide from Rodrigues. O's boss Richie Wellens was sent to the stands as passions ran high, but it mattered little as his side saw things through for him to continue their rise up the table.
United remain in the play-off places but know that they need to start winning games again, and soon.
Attendance 8,884 including 1,125 away
Polythene UK Fifty/50 winning number 122883 wins £1,064
Report by Chris Williams, pictures Steve Daniels. Steve Edmunds, Darrell Fisher and JasonPIx