Justin Edinburgh was left to rue a host of missed chances as Leyton Orient went down to a 3-2 defeat against Aldershot Town on Saturday.

Macauley Bonne struck inside a minuted to give the O’s the lead against title chasing Town, only for Shamir Fenelon to level on the cusp of half-time.

Will Evans reacted quickest to turn in a rebound three minutes after the restart before George Elokobi levelled for the home side.

However, Adam McDonell had the final say to condemn Orient to defeat.

For Edinburgh, the loss was hard to swallow on a day when his side created a multitude of chances and should, he felt, have taken something from the game.

“I am hugely disappointed. There is no doubt that we played a very good team and on chances created there should only be one winner,” the Orient head coach said.

“That is two games here now, against Bromley and today, where we have created chances to win games at crucial times.

“We probably should have gone in at two or maybe 3-0 at half-time. That is difficult to take and I think it showed with the start we made to the second half and we gifted them a goal.”

With the Shots hot on the heals of National League leaders Macclesfield Town, the game was always likely to be a testing one for Orient.

They matched their title chasing opponents for much of the afternoon, though, and soaked up most of what Town could throw at them.

Edinburgh was, therefore, angered by his side’s failure to take their chances after his tactical approach seemed to stifle Aldershot.

He said: “I don’t think we had too many problems and we contained them today. They had good possession and we knew that would be the case.

“We forced them to go wide and when we did get the ball back we hurt them on the counter.

“That is where the goal came from and how we created our chances, but we need to be more clinical.”

Injuries meant George Elokobi had to be deployed on the left side of defence and Aldershot got plenty of joy in the wide areas.

Edinburgh refused to be critical of the veteran defender and insisted he had all the qualities required to play the position.

“George has played left-back in the Premier League,” Edinburgh said. “You could maybe look at his position for one of the goals.

“All in all I think he was ok even though George is a centre-back.”

The defeat leaves Orient 19th in the table and just two points above the relegation zone ahead of a meeting with Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.

They have played a game more than 20th place Barrow, but do have a game in hand over 21st side Solihull Moors.

They will, nonetheless, be eager to return to winning ways as soon as possible.