Leyton Orient were unable to capitalise on an impressive first half as a 3-0 loss to Notts County saw them suffer their third consecutive defeat.

The home side enjoyed the better of the chances in the opening period with Kevin Lisbie and Jimmy Smith both going close but neither were able to beat the keeper.

Jeff Hughes should have done better for the hosts just after break with a volley while Smith again went close when his low strike fell just the wrong side of the post.

The visitors had created very little all afternoon but typical of Orient’s luck, it was County who opened the scoring when Damion Stewart struck.

Adam Reed then had a goal disallowed before Jeff Hughes made up for his early miss to double the lead, with Lloyd Sam rounding off the scoring deep into injury time.

There was a welcome return in goal for the O’s as Jamie Jones was named in the starting XI having missed the entire campaign to date through injury.

Jones returned between the sticks as one of three changes for Orient following Tuesday’s defeat to Huddersfield Town.

Reed regained his place in the centre of midfield alongside skipper Matthew Spring, while Lisbie was back leading the line for the hosts, joining David Mooney up front.

In the back four, Terrell Forbes reverted to the middle with Dean Leacock taking up the right back slot, while Paul Rachubka was included among the substitutes alongside Syam Ben Youssef, Calvin Andrew, George Porter and Solomon Taiwo.

With the Magpies chasing the last slot in the play-off race, their need for the points is just as great as Russell Slade’s side but it was Orient who settled the quicker.

Smith struck high and wide from distance but Lisbie went much closer on the quarter-hour mark as his header from a Dean Cox cross was narrowly the wrong side of the crossbar.

County responded with Alan Judge’s wide effort from distance but they were yet to really penetrate the Orient penalty area.

The hosts were showing greater creativity in search of the opener as Lisbie and Mooney linked well, with the former unlucky when put in behind the defence as the ball fell unkindly in his attempt to lob Stuart Nelson.

The visitors’ keeper was called into action again after 32 minutes when Smith was presented with a glorious chance to open the scoring.

Cox’s cross took a touch off a defender which meant Smith was not offside when he received the ball but perhaps not expecting it to reach him, his shot was not as powerful as it could have been as Nelson did well to make a low save at the foot of the post.

It was still the O’s creating chances and it was Smith again who tested Nelson from a corner while within a minute, County enjoyed their only real chance of the half when Daniel Bogdanović saw his strike from distance well gathered by Jones.

Smith headed wide just ahead of stoppage time but there was to be no score in the first half with the sides heading for the interval in stalemate.

It was County who enjoyed the first chances of the second period as first Jeff Hughes volleyed into the North Stand before Stewart missed the target with a header.

The O’s provided a sharp response though as Lisbie beat a defender on the left side before playing in the onrushing Smith but, perhaps having to stretch for the ball, his first time effort fell inches wide of the post.

Lisbie was proving a tireless source of energy for the O’s while Smith seemed to be involved in every move and might feel unlucky not to have won Orient a penalty when he was brought down heading into the box but the official was unmoved.

Orient had looked the more likely to score throughout but it was Keith Curle’s men who took the lead although there was a massive slice of fortune about it.

Jones looked to have claimed a cross from Alan Sheehan but after colliding with a defender, the ball fell loose, with Stewart the eventual beneficiary as he fired into an empty net.

Reed looked to have put the O’s immediately back on level terms but his close range effort was ruled out for offside, as things soon got worse for the home side.

A cross from the right side found Lee Hughes to head at goal but instead, he found namesake Jeff to tap in for an easy finish.

The O’s went close late on when more good work from Lisbie set Reed up unmarked on the edge of the area but the Sunderland loanee curled his first time effort wide of the post.

And with the game deep into injury time, Jon Harley’s fierce strike could only be parried by Jones which left Sam free to pounce and add a third to round the match off.

Orient: Jones; Forbes, Chorley, Leacock, Dickson; Jimmy Smith (Taiwo 71), Spring, Reed, Cox (Porter 78); Mooney, Lisbie.

Subs: Ben Youssef, Andrew, Rachubka.

County: Nelson; Kelly, Stewart, Chilvers, Sheehan; Sam, J Hughes, Harris (Mahon 60), Judge; Bogdanović (Harley 74), Bencherif (L Hughes 60).

Subs: Edwards, Freeman.

Attendance: 4,016 (606).