Leyton Orient battled to a vital point after earning a 2-2 draw at promotion challengers Preston this evening.

The visitors got off to a dream start when David Mooney fired in the opener after just five minutes. But Preston equalised midway through the half when Jermaine Beckford was left unmarked to head home a free-kick.

The hosts took the lead for the first time after 68 minutes when Orient conceded a penalty and Paul Gallagher fired in the spot-kick. But Chris Dagnall rescued a point when he drilled in a crucial goal in the 78th minute.

The O’s made four changes from the side beaten at home to Fleetwood Town. Captain Nathan Clarke returned to the defence along with Gary Sawyer as Elliot Omozusi was out with a hip injury and Andrea Dossena dropped to the bench.

Dean Cox also had a hip problem while Romain Vincelot was out with a thigh injury so Kevin Lisbie came into the team along with Everton loan signing John Lundstram.

Orient stunned the hosts with an early goal when Mooney won the ball and struck a pinpoint shot from outside the box past debutant keeper Sam Johnstone.

Beckford should have levelled the match but the former Leeds striker was denied by a superb Orient block.

The home fans were getting on their team’s back early on after the sluggish start and were left frustrated as Gallagher blasted an effort wide of the target.

But the hosts equalised after 23 minutes with a terrible goal defensively from Orient’s point of view. Gallagher sent in a free-kick and Beckford was left unmarked to head home easily.

Preston were on top and created an opportunity through Beckford again but the striker could not find the target from distance.

Scott Wiseman should have done better before the break but he lashed his shot well over Gary Woods’ crossbar.

The O’s had a rare sight of goal when Mooney picked up the ball but his strike was straight at Johnstone.

Orient went close early on in the second half when Bradley Pritchard’s cross deflected off David Buchanan and out for a corner.

Fabio Liverani made his first change when he introduced Gianvito Plasmati in place of Lisbie.

Gallagher had another effort for the hosts but his deflected effort rolled safely through to Woods.

The O’s almost regained the lead when Pritchard knocked the ball down for Mooney and his volley was pushed round the post by Johnstone.

Plasmati almost had an early impact when he acrobatically volleyed a free-kick towards goal but it was straight at the keeper.

The hosts responded and substitute Scott Laird cracked a long-range strike which was parried by Woods.

Orient conceded a penalty midway through the half when Scott Cuthbert tripped Kyel Reid. Gallagher stepped up and blasted his effort down the middle to give Preston the lead.

But the visitors stunned Preston with just over ten minutes left when Plasmati flicked the ball on and Dagnall fired his low shot into the corner of the net.

The O’s made a second change when Mathieu Baudry was brought on for Mooney.

There were five minutes of injury time but Orient held out resolutely to come away with a hard earned point from Deepdale.

Preston: Johnstone; Buchanan (Laird, 58), Huntington , Clarke, Wiseman; Reid, Kilkenny, Brownhill (Browne, 85), Humphrey (Davies, 85); Gallagher, Beckford

Subs not used: Stuckmann, Wright, Welsh, Ebanks-Blake

Leyton Orient: Woods; Sawyer, Clarke, Lowry, Cuthbert; Mooney (Baudry, 81), Wright, Lundstram, Pritchard; Lisbie (Plasmati, 53), Dagnall

Subs not used: Grainger, Lee, Agyemang, Adeboyejo, Dossena

Referee: S Duncan

Attendance: 8,555 (134 Orient fans)