Leyton Orient were unable to build on their FA Cup replay win over Dagenham & Redbridge and now sit 18th in the National League table following a 1-0 defeat  at home to Macclesfield Town.

While losing to the leaders is no disgrace in itself, it only served to increase concern around Brisbane Road as the O’s winless run in the league was extended to an eighth game.

The hosts were on top for much of the first half but their failure to capitalise was to cost them when Scott Wilson headed home in stoppage-time. That proved to be the decisive moment as Orient were unable to find a way back after the break.

Proceedings got underway 20 minutes late due to strong winds damaging advertising hoardings on the North Stand, but the home side were the first to register an attempt when Mark Ellis, who had replaced Michael Clark in the starting line-up, fired wide.

Macclesfield were forced into a change of goalkeeper early on when Shawn Jalal was injured in a collision with Macauley Bonne and replacement Sam Ramsbottom was soon into the action, denying David Mooney from a corner before saving a Myles Judd back-post header following a Jake Caprice cross.

The O’s continued to have the upper hand, with Ramsbottom again equal to a powerful Mooney header following Judd’s delivery from the left.

But the league leaders were to make the breakthrough when a whipped cross into the penalty area picked out Wilson to head home.

Orient were denied an equaliser just after the hour mark when Ramsbottom palmed a Bonne header from a James Dayton cross into the air and the keeper was able to react to thwart Mooney from the rebound.

The keeper again proved impassable when Dayton struck a volley towards the target as the O’s search for a goal remained fruitless.

Leyton Orient: Grainger, Caprice, Ellis (Westbrooke 59), Happe, Widdowson, Judd, Clay, Boco (Brophy 59), Dayton, Mooney (Sotiriou 69), Bonne. Subs not used: Sargeant, Clark.