Leyton Orient fell to their third defeat in a row in League Two after losing 2-1 to Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

A Conor Chaplin double was enough to seal the points for the hosts and cement their position in the play-off spots.

Gavin Massey scored a beauty in the first half from the edge of the area but it was to be a consolation for the travelling O's fans.

The O’s can take away some positives from the game before they face Morecambe at Brisbane Road next Saturday.

Before the match kicked-off, a one-minute applause was held for former Orient and Pompey player Paul Went and former Watford legend Graham Taylor.

Pompey got off to a great start when Gareth Evans' shot was blocked by Sandro Semedo in the first minute.

Two minutes later, referee Brett Huxtable had to speak to both Semedo and Carl Baker after they tussled on the pitch.

There was a break in play when Evans went down injured from a heavy but fair challenge by Sammy Moore, who has returned to the E10 club after a loan spell at Dover Athletic. 

After the match was resumed, there was a bizarre decision by the referee and Evans got a free-kick after he appeared to slip but Chaplin could not convert Kal Naismith’s delivery.

And on the 15th-minute mark, Tom Parkes almost turned the ball into his own net with Alex Cisak having to tip the ball over the bar.

Pompey should have opened the scoring four minutes later after a lovely through ball by Michael Smith played in Naismith but his chance went over the bar.

In what was a busy two minute period at Fratton Park, Portsmouth received a penalty when Moore and Enda Stevens clashed in the six-yard box but Chaplin’s spot kick was brilliantly saved by Cisak.

But Orient's joy was short lived after Chaplin, who appeared to be offside, turned the ball in from two-yards out from a Carl Baker cross.

The south coast side should have made it 2-0 but Parkes managed to head off the line from Smith’s close-range effort.

Orient’s first half chance of the game came in the 35th minute when Semedo flurried forward but his drive was blocked by Christian Burgess.

And against the complete run of play Orient found the equaliser when Paul McCallum held the ball up for Massey who drew in a stunning strike into the top corner.

Minutes later, Pompey had a great chance to score their second but Naismith’s corner was punched away by Cisak and captain Michael Doyle could only shoot the rebound over.

There were three minutes added on and it looked as though Orient could take the lead when a great move involving McCallum and Collins saw Massey play in Judd but his cross fell behind Nigel Atangana and Portsmouth managed to clear.

The second half got off to the worst of starts for the O’s as Chaplin doubled the hosts lead by heading into the net in the 46th minute.

Smith was ready and waiting to pounce and score his sides third from a Stevens cross in the four minutes later but Cisak held the ball at the near post.

In what started to be one-way traffic Naismith cut inside and let fly from the edge of the area but his effort went well over the bar.

Semedo managed to get the ball in the middle of the field and whipped in a brilliant cross from the left with McCallum and Massey lying in waiting but David Forde quickly came off his line to collect.

The home side almost gifted the visitors their second when Christian Burgess headed the ball over his own keeper but the defender was lucky the ball went out for a corner.

Ten minutes from time it looked as though Smith would score the home side’s third but he could not get the final touch on a Chaplin cross as it skimmed past Cisak's goal.

McCallum won the ball back two minutes from full time in the Portsmouth half but his cross for substitute Jordan Bowery was held by Forde.

Orient kept trying to press for another equaliser but it never came.

The east London club now sits two points above the drop zone.

Leyton Orient starting XI: Cisak, Hunt. Parkes, Mezague, Judd, Moore (Bowery 69), Atangana, Collins, Massey, Semedo (Palmer 87), McCallum Subs not used: Sargeant, Kennedy, Nnomo, Pollock, Koroma 

Portsmouth starting XI: Forde, Stevens, Rose, Clarke, Burgess, Baker, Doyle, Smith, Chaplin (Bennett 85), Naismith (Linganzi 75), Evans (Lowe 45) Subs not used: O’Brien, Davies, Roberts, Hunt