Moses Odubajo scored twice as Leyton Orient came from behind to beat Swindon Town 3-1 and return to the top of League One but the game was soured after a supporter ran on the pitch and tried to assault O's keeper Jamie Jones in the second half.

Just after the hour-mark, a Swindon fan came from behind the goal and aimed three punches at Jones before players intervened and the individual was escorted away by stewards.

It was a depressing incident in a feisty match that saw two goals scored within 45 seconds of each other midway through the first half as Swindon took the lead through Nicky Ajose before David Mooney equalised for Orient almost immediately after.

Odubajo put the O’s in front just before half-time and within 40 seconds of the restart his deflected shot made it 3-1.

Tempers regularly boiled over throughout the 90 minutes and Swindon left-back Jay McEveley was sent off late on as Orient saw out an important victory in their quest for promotion.

Russell Slade made two changes to the team that lost to Preston North End as Mathieu Baudry came back into the side at centre half having recovered from a knee injury and Romain Vincelot returned from suspension to start in central midfield. New signing Josh Wright was named among the substitutes.

Orient had the first chance of the game in the second minute as Scott Cuthbert rose highest to meet Dean Cox’s corner but the O’s man couldn’t keep his header down.

It was the only opportunity created in the opening exchanges as both teams seemed happy to keep the ball in their own half and try to control possession early on.

In the 12th minute Orient were cut open as on-loan Tottenham youngster Alex Pritchard slid the ball inside Elliot Omosuzi for Ajose to go through but Jones was quick to shut down the angle and block the shot.

Swindon were starting to inject some pace into their play with Pritchard and McEveley particularly ambitious to carry the ball forward.

McEveley created the best chance of the match in the 20th minute as he dribbled inside before playing an excellent reverse pass to Ajose but with just the keeper to beat from eight yards out, the Swindon forward somehow bent the ball wide of the far post.

While Swindon increasingly looked to take the game to their opponents, Orient remained lethargic and it wasn’t long before they were punished.

With 23 minutes on the clock, the ball bounced up to Pritchard on the edge of the box and while his half-volley was blocked, it fell fortuitously into the path of Ajose to slam home into a gaping net.

Swindon just about deserved to be in front but their lead lasted just 40 seconds.

With the home fans cheering as Ajose’s goal was announced over the tannoy, Mooney lifted the ball expertly over Wesley Foderingham to score his 14th goal of the season and draw level.

The two goals sparked life into the contest as both sides played with more urgency and the game opened up Orient made the bigger improvement however and looked the more threatening of the two teams.

The majority of their openings were coming down the right where Odubajo and Vincelot were both able to get in behind and put dangerous balls into the box.

With the game stretched, the gaps opened up and five minutes from the break Orient took the lead as Cox picked the ball up on the left hand side before delivering a deep cross to the back post for Odubajo to bundle into the net.

The O’s finished the half the stronger side and Swindon’s frustration almost boiled over as McEveley, perhaps the hosts’ best player in the first half, was booked for a cynical challenge on Odubajo as the winger looked to break.

Orient took less than a minute earlier in the match to score from the kick-off and at the start of the second half they did it again as Odubajo cut inside from the right and unleashed a left-footed shot which took a wicked deflection and flew into the net.

It was unfortunate for Swindon but perhaps evened things up after Ajose’s goal in the first half and more importantly, Mark Cooper will be wondering how his team conceded two goals in one match almost instantly from a kick-off.

Swindon responded well and enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure without really creating any clear-cut chances.

The match turned ugly just after the hour-mark however. A scramble in the Orient box resulted in Swindon substitute Mohamed Elgabas going down but despite passionate protests, referee Christopher Sarginson was unmoved.

Orient’s players confronted Elgabas, who they felt had gone down too easily and as a melee ensued in the penalty area, a Swindon supporter ran on to the pitch from behind the goal and approached the O’s goalkeeper.

Players and stewards were quick to intervene and Jones was fine to continue as the fan was escorted away.

It took five minutes before play could be resumed and the unsavoury incident seemed to kill Swindon’s momentum as Orient began to establish some authority on the game again.

The hosts continued to press and probe but without the same urgency as earlier in the half and Orient were able to soak up Swindon’s attacks fairly comfortably.

Cox had a chance to add a fourth with seven minutes to play but when the ball fell to him on the edge of the area he lashed his half-volley over the bar.

McEveley was lucky not to receive his marching orders after he brought down Odubajo and in the 90th minute the Swindon left-back’s chances ran out as he tackled substitute Shaun Batt and was finally shown a second yellow card.

Odubajo could have sealed his hat-trick in injury time but the winger couldn’t get round Fotheringham and moments later the youngster turned provider, pulling back for Cox whose shot drifted agonisingly wide.

Next up for Orient is a trip to Bristol City on Tuesday night.

Swindon Town: Foderingham, N. Thompson, Hall, Ward (capt), McEveley, Kasim (Thompson, 68), Luongo, Harley, Pritchard (Elgabas,45), N’Guessan, Ajose.

Subs: Belford, L. Thompson, Storey, Barthram, Agombar, Rossi-Branco, Elgabas.

Leyton Orient: Jones, Omozusi, Baudry, Clarke, Cuthbert, Odubajo, Vincelot, Bartley (Wright, 88), Cox, Mooney (Stockley, 92), Lisbie (Batt, 76).

Subs: Larkins, Sawyer, James, Batt, Stockley, Wright, Simpson.

Referee: Christopher Sarginson

Attendance: 8,634 (562 Leyton Orient)