Leyton Orient made it two wins in succession with a gritty, hard-earned 2-0 victory over Maidstone United at Brisbane Road - but the visitors, who remain winless, more than played their part with the O’s made to work hard for their victory.

Orient welcomed the Kent outfit to east London following an opening day 1-1 draw with Maidenhead United and a 2-0 defeat at Ebbsfleet United in midweek.

But a strong end to last season for The Stones, who ended their maiden National League campaign in a respectable 14th position, meant that the O’s could not afford to take their opponents lightly as they attempted to make it back-to-back wins for the first time this campaign.

Indeed, the visiting ranks boasted significant Football League experience with Alex Wynter, a former teammate of George Elokobi’s at Colchester United, and Joe Pigott previously with Charlton Athletic, headlining a group of about half a dozen with experience at a higher level.

Steve Davis’ charges, meanwhile, were still acclimatising to life at step five but their comprehensive 3-1 victory over Solihull Moors on Tuesday evening, the O’s first of the season, would have done their confidence the world of good.

The Orient head coach named an unchanged 16 for the third successive game in his customary formation, 4-4-2, as the hosts looked to build on a comfortable victory that kick-started a season everyone connected with the club will hope ends in promotion.

The manner of their win in midweek was typified by aggressive forward play and direct play on the wings from James Dayton and Jobi McAnuff, a performance that oozed confidence from beginning to end. And the O’s would have hoped for more of the same from the get-go here.

However, as it turned out they would not have it all their own way – far from it in fact – in a game of two contrasting halves. Maidstone, as expected, were not going to roll over without a fight and this was a half that they would just about shade on balance.

Things could have got off to a perfect start, however, had Macauley Bonne managed to control a Joe Widdowson cross from the left.

Good work by McAnuff had found the left-back and he had the right idea firing a low cross for the former Colchester United forward, but the chance had come and gone before he had a chance to set himself.

And it might have proved to be a huge momentum swinger had Delano Sam-Yorke’s bundled header stood just a minute later.

The impressive Pigott rose highest initially to flick it towards goal, but referee Adam Bromley adjudged Sam-Yorke to have used excessive force as he knocked both the ball and O’s goalkeeper Charlie Grainger into the net after five minutes.

Pigott, though, was again in the thick of things as he magnificently controlled a loose ball, and then almost turned provider as his pass was near inch perfect for Tom Wraight who had slipped behind Josh Coulson – though Grainger read it well to gather.

Orient’s star man in the first half was arguably James Dayton who continued to find promising pockets of space, darting inside and running the channels to good effect.

His awareness nearly crafted an opening for the hosts as the marauding Jake Caprice nearly latched on to his through ball, though Maidstone did just enough to snuff out the danger.

And that passage of play would yield the O’s first shot on target of the afternoon. It was not worthy of note in truth, as Bonne glided into a promising position about 20-yards from goal only then to scuff his effort into the arms of Lee Worgan after 17 minutes.

It was rather overshadowed though by the clearest sighter either side could muster in the first half that arrived just 60 seconds later.

Sam-Yorke weaved his way inside before floating a ball up and over the back four for Pigott and, with a combination of his face and hand, the former Charlton Athletic forward controlled it and fired at Grainger who saved superbly with his legs.

The danger was far from over with the ball presenting itself for Wraight, yet incredibly he could only blast over the bar from inside the 18-yard box.

Orient were struggling to win second balls and, by extension, create the sort of chances that they had done to such great effect in a stunning first half on Tuesday night.

Maidstone, employing a rigid and disciplined 4-5-1, were squeezing the O’s ability to work openings – that’s despite Orient enjoying the lion’s share of possession in the first half.

But Davis’ side were growing into the contest slowly but surely. The silky Dayton again looked the O’s best outlet with dangerous late runs and clever positioning, and he saw a chance open up for him with 33 minutes played.

From a central position he plundered a driven left-foot strike that looked as if it was heading on target, only to cannon into the back of Dave Mooney and out for a goal kick. That rather summed up a frustrating first half for Orient.

It was an opening 45 typified by a lack of attacking verve and a noticeable lack of clear-cut opportunities, though Maidstone deserved credit for their work rate and defensive work to cancel out any threats when the O’s did have the ball.

The O’s best chance would fall just before the half-time whistle as McAnuff, who had the beating of Nana Twusami on the left, skipped inside and fired a low effort straight at Worgan.

It was a comfortable save, there was little doubt about that, but it was a better passage of play from the hosts in any case, as both sides headed in at the break all square.

However, if the first half was a drab affair the second began at a much-needed quicker tempo. It nearly reaped immediate dividends in a near carbon copy of Tuesday night, with Caprice’s low cross almost falling for Mooney and Bonne who both attacked it.

And Jay Saunders’ side were nearly architects of their downfall soon afterwards after a rash pass-back for Worgan had far too much pace on it to gift Orient a cheap corner.

Dayton’s delivery eventually fell for Bonne who, on the turn, tried an audacious chip that Worgan again claimed with ease. Despite this, there was a marked improvement about Orient’s play even so soon into the second half.

The Stones were again given a huge let-off as that man Bonne failed to cash in on a poor bit of defending from his former Colchester teammate Wynter, dragging his shot horribly wide from the right of the box.

Wynter had hopelessly misjudged a long, flighted ball and Bonne did everything right but hit the target as he continued to be made to wait for his first O’s strike.

This was far from one way traffic though. While Elokobi had momentarily stalled Sam-Yorke, Jack Paxman’s deep cross from the right was met by Wraight who failed to keep his header down.

And within moments, Orient would snatch the lead. Good work down the right by Caprice and Dayton saw the latter whip in a neat in-swinger that was met by who else but fan-favourite Mooney.

The 32-year-old Irishman rose highest to power a header into the bottom right hand corner for his second in as many games on the hour mark. The relief around Brisbane Road was certainly palpable.

Maidstone’s response was very nearly as emphatic as it was immediate. The impressive Elokobi showed all his experience to continue his fine afternoon’s performance, cutting out a dangerous move that had seen Paxman bearing down on goal.

Mooney momentarily left the action having taken a sore one to the head, with Dayton’s subsequent free-kick forcing a corner.

It would again end in frustration for Bonne who, after collecting a ricocheted knock down, snatched at his chance and blasted onto the roof of the South Stand.

If the first half was one in which the visitors perhaps had the better of things, the second was Orient's for the taking. It certainly helps when, as the home team, you strike first – breaking Maidstone’s strong resistance in the process – but this was a game the O's began to control with every passing minute.

Mooney then set-up his strike partner Bonne for a chance, though he took far too long to steady himself for the shot, only succeeding in walloping his effort into the body of a United defender.

And the 21-year-old would then be desperately unlucky soon afterwards not to open his account, having narrowly steered Caprice’s excellent cross across the face of goal wide. Had that gone in that surely would have been that.

Davis made a couple of alterations to his tiring side with Mooney, serenaded by an adoring Orient crowd after his goal looked to have sent the O’s on route to victory, being replaced by Craig Clay and Josh Koroma coming on for Jobi McAnuff.

Koroma’s versatility has been much talked about already this term and he nearly made the perfect introduction with his first touch of the ball, skipping inside past Nana Twumasi and curling an effort narrowly wide of the far post that had Worgan beaten all ends up.

The excellent Dayton was next to be withdrawn as the O’s head coach used the full complement of his available substitutes, with former Accrington Stanley midfielder Romauld Boco entering the fray.

Orient would have hearts in their mouths though before long. A fizzing low cross from Josh Hare on the right could have ended up anywhere once Elokobi flashed a boot at it in an attempt to clear.

His sliced clearance rolled across the face of goal rather than landing in the hosts’ net, stemming from an initial free-kick by Jai Reason as the O’s narrowly, and rather fortunately, escaped unscathed.

Orient had another slice of fortune after a second disallowed goal for the visitors denied Maidstone a point that they scarcely deserved on the balance of the second half.

The O’s won’t look back fondly on how it was allowed to develop into something from nothing. Substitute Clay failed to clear a low cross into the box and, when Pigott’s eventual shot was palmed into the path of Sam-Yorke, it looked as if The Stones had knotted it up.

However, Maidstone’s celebrations would be cut prematurely short thanks to the linesman’s flag on the far side being raised for offside.

And to rub salt into the visitors’ wounds, Orient then went and finished the contest in clinical fashion.

It owed a great deal to the persistence of captain Charlie Lee to claim and then control a loose ball and, after sliding it through for Boco, the outcome was never in doubt.

The wideman, only introduced four minutes earlier, showed neat composure to fire a low effort past Worgan and into the bottom left-hand corner to round off a quick counter attack in stoppage time.

It was hard on Maidstone who had showed great character to keep going, but when presented with the opportunity to secure the points, the O’s were not about to pass up the chance.

They were not about to miss the opportunity to secure a second consecutive win either, though the 2-0 score line perhaps reflected a little harshly on Maidstone given the manner of proceedings.

Orient though came alive in the second period after a drab first to secure a win and a first clean sheet of the season in the process.

Leyton Orient: Grainger; Caprice, Coulson, Elokobi, Widdowson; Dayton (Boco 86), Lee, Lawless, McAnuff (Koroma 79); Mooney (Clay 79), Bonne.

Not used: Sargeant, Clark.

Maidstone United: Worgan; Nana Twumasi, Hare, Wynter, Anderson; Sam-Yorke, Paxman, Prestedge (Willard 74), Reason, Wraight (Richards 80); Pigott.

Not used: Taylor, Okuonghae, Phipps.

Attendance: 5,085