Leyton Orient will be looking to get back on track when they visit Halifax Town on Tuesday after suffering a 3-2 home defeat against Aldershot Town.

Despite getting off to the perfect start with Macauley Bonne scoring inside the opening 20 seconds, the O’s had to come from behind as George Elokobi netted an equaliser in the second half. But it was not to be enough to secure a point as Adam McDonnell scored the winner for the high-flying visitors, who are only a point behind National League table toppers Macclesfield Town.

The defeat leaves Justin Edinburgh’s men 19th in the table, two points above the drop zone, but a win on Tuesday will move them up the table as Halifax are a place and two points higher in 18th.

With striker Dan Holman named in the starting XI for the first time, it was fellow forward Bonne who got his side off to a flying start as he latched on to Jobi McAnuff’s through ball and scored through the legs of keeper Lewis Ward.

Boosted by making the earliest of breakthroughs, the home looked to push forward when they could, but their opponents gradually grew into the game, with Dean Brill forced to turn away a teasing Lewis Kinsella cross.

McAnuff and Bonne had efforts at the other end, with Josh McQuoid seeing a shot deflected behind in between times, but it took a superb save from Ward to prevent Holman from doubling his side’s advantage.

However, the debutant was to be forced out of the contest through injury in the 43rd minute, with Josh Koroma coming off the bench. But the hosts were not able to take their lead into the break as Shamir Fenelon made the most of a through ball to tuck it past Brill.

Having got back on terms, Aldershot were to go in front soon after the restart when a James Rowe free-kick rebounded off the crossbar and Will Evans nodded home the rebound.

The visitors’ advantage was to be short-lived though, and in the 53rd minute Elokobi levelled with a bicycle kick following a McAnuff corner from the left.

Both sides went in search of the winner, with McAnuff going close with a left-footed shot, but it was the visitors who scored what proved to be the decisive goal with 15 minutes remaining when a McDonnell strike squirmed beneath Brill.

The O’s did have their chances to equalise, as substitute Matt Harrold headed at Ward and Bonne was denied following a scramble, but their efforts were to end in disappointment.

Leyton Orient: Brill, Caprice, Lawless (Harrold 80’), Elokobi (Reynolds 83’), McAnuff, Bonne, Coulson, Clay, Happe, Dayton (Koroma 43’), Holman. Subs not used: Sargeant, Adams.