Leyton Orient kept their slim play-off hopes alive with a 2-0 win over Bury at Brisbane Road this afternoon. 

Russell Slade's side made a slow start but Bury paid the price for missing several golden chances as Jimmy Smith gave Orient the lead. David Mooney added a second before the break as the visitors slipped closer to relegation. 

Orient's win was the required response after Friday's setback at Scunthorpe and kept them on the fringes of the League One promotion race heading into their last four matches. 

The O's made six changes from the side beaten in their last match. Mathieu Baudry returned from injury to replace Elliot Omozusi while Gary Saywer came in for Leon McSweeney.

Lee Cook, Lloyd James and Smith were brought into the midfield in place of Romain Vincelot, Martin Rowlands and Shaun Batt. Charlie MacDonald started up front with Kevin Lisbie on the bench.

Bury started brightly and should have taken the lead in the opening minutes. Tom Soares had an early effort blocked but the visitors missed a sitter when Nicky Ajose fired wide from just a couple of yards out.

It was a poor start for the O's but totally against the run of play they snatched the lead. A corner was flicked on and Smith was perfectly placed to smash the ball in from close range.

The hosts suffered a setback when Baudry, who had just returned from a hip problem, picked up an injury and was replaced by Omozusi. 

Orient were really struggling to cope against Bury and Kevin Blackwell's team spurned another glorious chance when Soares' cross was headed over by Andy Bishop. 

The home side were starting to get more possession and they were denied twice by excellent blocks from David Worrall after strikes from Mooney and Smith.

But the O's extended their lead in the 34th minute when James' cross was headed on by Smith and Mooney, who appeared to be marginally offside, was left to fire the ball in from just in front of the goal. 

It could have been 3-0 just before the break when Smith was denied by a fine save from Cameron Belford.

Slade made a second change at the break as he introduced Batt in place of winger Cook.

Bury created another opening after the restart but Soares' header floated just wide of Jamie Jones' post. 

The O's again came close to a third goal when Mooney headed over Dean Cox's free-kick. 

Bury were still looking dangerous but Bishop was unable to find a goal as his header was directed too near to Jones. 

Slade was forced into another defensive change when substitute Omozusi picked up an injury and he was replaced by McSweeney. 

The visitors were still desperately trying to get a goal back but captain Steven Schumacher blasted his long-range effort wide of the target.

Mooney nearly doubled his tally for the match late on but the Irish striker's shot was brilliantly cleared off the line by Worrall. 

Orient went close again in injury time when MacDonald's flick was parried by the keeper. But Bury went down the other end and Johnson Clarke-Harris' effort was blocked by Jones. 

It was certainly not vintage Orient but the points were all that mattered as they started the final month of the season with their fourth consecutive home win. 

Leyton Orient: Jones; Sawyer, Clarke, Baudry (Omozusi, 12, McSweeney, 74), Odubajo; Cox, Smith, James, Cook (Batt, HT); MacDonald, Mooney

Subs not used: Vincelot, Lisbie, Grainger, Rowlands

Bury: Belford; Eastham, Sodje (Mezague, 64), Ebanks-Landell, Worrall; Schumacher, Carrington, Soares, Bishop; Ajose (Clarke-Harris, 67), Fagan

Subs not used: Carson, Healy, Thompson

Referee: Andy Woolmer

Attendance: 3,713