Leyton Orient’s hopes of avoiding relegation from League One suffered a major setback after losing 1-0 at home to Doncaster Rovers this evening.

After a goalless first half, the visitors took the lead in the 56th minute when an unmarked Rob Jones headed home a free-kick.

Fabio Liverani’s side took too long to come to life in the second period and were unable to find an equaliser after goalkeeper Stephen Bywater kept out efforts from Shane Lowry and Josh Wright.

It leaves Orient under huge pressure with four difficult fixtures remaining after falling to defeat against a mid-table Rovers side with little to play for.

The O’s made one change from the side held at Crewe on Saturday. Andrea Dossena came into the defence with Lowry on the bench.

First year scholar Sam Sargeant was another substitute after goalkeeper Charlie Grainger broke his finger in training while Jay Simpson was also fit to make the bench.

After a very slow start to the match, the O’s created the first chance when Ryan Hedges’ cross was diverted wide of the target by Dossena.

Orient missed a golden opportunity to open the scoring when Marvin Bartley sent in a cross but Darius Henderson’s effort from yards out was parried by Stephen Bywater.

The visitors were offering very little going forward but fired in their first effort through James Coppinger which was straight at goalkeeper Alex Cisak.

Doncaster had a rare opportunity on the break but Curtis Main spurned the chance as he blasted wide of the target.

The O’s almost created their own problems after a mix-up between Mathieu Baudry and Cisak but Dean Furman failed to take advantage of the lapse.

Rovers almost opened the scoring at the start of the second half through Kyle Bennett but his powerful strike was blocked by Cisak.

Orient failed to get going after the restart and it was no surprise when Doncaster took the lead. Bennett sent in a free-kick and Jones powered a header into the net.

Substitute Jonson Clarke-Harris fired in a fierce long-range strike but fortunately for the hosts it was straight at Cisak.

Liverani made his first change when he brought on defender Lowry in place of Dossena.

Orient also introduced Simpson for Hedges in a desperate bid to find an equaliser.

Lowry nearly provided the equaliser but the defender’s header was kept out by Bywater.

Wright also went close as the midfielder’s strike from the edge of the area was pushed round the post by Bywater.

The hosts put a fourth forward on the pitch when David Mooney was thrown on for Jobi McAnuff.

Simpson almost rescued a point with a late strike but Bywater saved his effort. 

There were five minutes of injury time but Orient could not create another chance and crashed to a desperate defeat which leaves them in deep trouble.

Leyton Orient: Cisak; Dossena (Lowry, 63), Clarke, Baudry, Cuthbert; McAnuff (Mooney, 78), Wright, Bartley, Hedges (Simpson, 72); Henderson, Dagnall

Subs not used: James, O’Neill, Sargeant, Taylor

Doncaster Rovers: Bywater; Wabara, Butler, Jones, Evina (Stevens, 56); Middleton (Clarke-Harris, HT), Wellens, Furman, Bennett; Main (McCombe, 82), Coppinger

Subs not used: Marosi, Forrester, Tyson, Mandeville

Referee: Carl Berry

Attendance: 4,410