The comeback kings did it again as two second-half goals stopped the Orient express, writes Pete Oliver.
For the third league game in a row, Wanderers came from behind to chalk up a big win as the O’s were handed just a third league defeat since October and their first away from home since the same month.
John McAtee and Aaron Morley – from the penalty spot – got the goals as the Whites enjoyed a third successive win under Steven Schumacher having conceded the first goal.
Orient led at the break but even they were powerless to stop another Wanderers’ fightback with a superb second-half showing securing a ninth home success of the season and lifting Schumacher’s men level with the O’s in the final play-off spot.
Josh Sheehan’s return – wearing the captain’s armband – was one of four changes to the Wanderers’ side seeking the hat-trick as Josh Dacres-Cogley, Szabi Schön and Jordi Osei-Tutu also started.
That meant a re-shaped line-up with a four-man defence and Schön and Osei-Tutu offering an attacking threat further forward.
And Wanderers posed a real danger in the wide areas early on with Schön and Dacres-Cogley linking well to open up an O’s defence not used to finishing on the losing side thanks to a run which had propelled them into the top six.
The Whites were full of energy in winning the ball back and pinning the visitors in their own half, although the first real attempt came from Orient with over 30 minutes gone as Ethan Galbraith fizzed an effort wide.
That triggered Orient’s best spell to date as Azeem Abdulai also sent a deflected effort bouncing just wide and five minutes before the break the Londoners went ahead.
Wanderers didn’t relieve the pressure and when Rarmani Edmonds-Green helped the ball goalwards, on-loan QPR forward Charlie Kelman dived to head home his 15th goal of the season and leave Schumacher’s men needing to try and mount another fightback.
The boss wasted no time in trying to spark a response as he sent on Aaron Collins to start the second half as an extra attacking presence alongside McAtee.
And within moments Wanderers were almost level as Alex Murphy released Osei-Tutu to deliver a low cross which was only inches away from the outstretched leg of McAtee in front of goal.
It was a far more open contest as Wanderers looked to force the pace again and Orient threatened on the counter-attack as former Whites’ wideman Randell Williams almost fluked a second with a cross that curled onto the crossbar.
Collins was causing Orient a new set of problems and when he again combined with Osei-Tutu, the latter cut inside to test O’s keeper Josh Keeley for the first time.
And with nearly an hour gone Collins provided the ammunition once more with a rapid break-away and perfect pass for McAtee to take a touch and coolly steer his 10th goal of the season through the legs of Keeley.
Collins was everywhere and sent a shot flying just wide after Orient had cleared a Sheehan free-kick as Wanderers looked to maintain the momentum and potentially turn one point into another three.
He then flicked on a header for Victor Adeboyejo to force Keeley into another save from the substitute’s first touch and with the pressure growing, Wanderers won a penalty with 15 minutes to go when Sheehan was tripped in the box.
Morley stepped up and although Keeley guessed right, the power and accuracy of the midfielder’s strike made his penalty unstoppable as he claimed his second goal since returning from a loan spell in January.
With referee Ben Purkiss adding 10 minutes of injury time there was still work to do to bank the points.
But Wanderers currently have the bit between their teeth and with no late slip-ups - and almost a deserved late goal for Collins - a fifth win in six league games was the perfect start to a testing run of games against top-six opposition at a critical phase of the season.
Wanderers: Southwood; Dacres-Cogley, Forrester, Johnston, Murphy (Thomason 89); Sheehan; Osei-Tutu (Forino 89), Morley, Matete (Collins HT), Schön; McAtee (Adeboyejo 73 replaced Lolos 98). Substitutes: Baxter, Randall.
Booked: Forrester, Forino
Leyton Orient: Keeley; Galbraith, Edmonds-Green, Cooper (Sweeney 57), Currie; Ball (Obiero 90), Brown (Markanaday 90); Williams (Perkins 69), Donley, Abdulai (Agyei 69); Kelman. Substitutes: Phillips, Jaiyesimi.
Booked: Galbraith, Kelman, Keeley
Referee: Sam Purkiss
Attendance: 20,851 (Orient 660)