Leyton Orient won a League Two game for the first time in over a month as they held on to beat Newport County 2-1 at home.

Following a goalless first half, Marvin Ekpiteta headed Orient into the lead before Ruel Sotiriou doubled the lead late on. Jamille Matt halved the deficit in stoppage time but the hosts managed to hold on.

Youngster Sotiriou came into the line up in place of Matt Harrold, while Josh Coulson was also withdrawn from the 11 that drew with Northampton Town on Tuesday; Jordan Maguire-Drew was his replacement.

Both sides made slow starts to the game as they tried to figure each other out, and it was not until the 13th minute that the first real chance of the game arrived.

Some neat build-up play from the hosts resulted in Craig Clay playing the ball through for Sotiriou who in turn crossed for Maguire-Drew, but his half-volley went narrowly over the bar.

Shortly after, Newport had their first effort on target too, but a free-kick from Matty Dolan, brought into the line-up at the last minute after injuries to Joss Labadie and Ryan Inniss in the warm-up, had his free-kick comfortably stopped by Sam Sargeant.

That proved to be the hosts’ only real chance of the half as Orient looked the more threatening of the two sides in the opening 45 minutes.

Maguire-Drew, in particular, was a real menace for Orient, forcing Newport keeper Tom King into a series of excellent saves.

After the stopper has clawed out a hooked effort from Ouss Cisse, Maguire-Drew then sent in a cross that looked to be curling all the way into the top corner before King got a touch to send it over.

The final stop of the half was the best, though. Maguire-Drew powered forward and sent a drive towards the top corner, but the slightest of touches from King sent it out for a corner, which came to nothing.

The second period started in a similar fashion to the first, although Newport were seeing a lot more of the ball.

They were looking dangerous on the counter-attack too, but James Brophy was on hand to prevent the most threatening one with a good tackle.

Orient were still the dominant side overall, though, and it paid off on 77 minutes when their persistence was rewarded with a goal.

Brophy’s corner to the far post was met by the head of Ekpiteta and he headed past King to give the O’s a deserved lead.

That seemed to galvanise the home side and they almost doubled their lead minutes later when Brophy cut inside, but his drive went just the wrong side of the post.

With stoppage time looming though, Orient grabbed a deserved second when a delivery from Josh Wright has hammered in off the underside of the bar by Sotiriou at the far post.

Newport managed a consolation when Jamille Matt headed home from a free-kick late on, but Orient managed to hold out for the points.

The win is Orient’s first in the league since December 21, and pushes them up to 17th ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Crewe Alexandra.

Orient line-up: Sargeant, Ekpiteta, Clay, Wilkinson, Maguire-Drew, Happe, Brophy, Sotiriou, Marsh, Cisse, Wright

Subs: Vigouroux, Widdowson, Judd, Harrold, Angol, Kyprianou, Sweeney