Leyton Orient were left empty-handed after conceding a late goal at Whaddon Road on Saturday.

The east Londoners looked set to pick up a good point against play-off hopefuls Cheltenham, only to see the home side net an 88th-minute winner.

Both sides had to contend with difficult conditions, with Lawrence Vigouroux beating Alfie May to the ball as the home side looked to get in behind Orient's defence on 10 minutes.

The visitors produced some neat passages of play, with Craig Clay whipping the ball in well but seeing Owen Evans gather.

Cheltenham had a great chance on the quarter-hour mark as the ball found May at the far post, but he volleyed wide.

But O's took the lead in somewhat fortuitous circumstances as Conor Wilkinson closed down Evans, whose attempted clearance rebounded off the striker's legs and went in.

Cheltenham hit back almost immediately, though, through May to level, but Clay rifled over from Lee Angol's nod down on 21 minutes.

Vigouroux made a key save to deny May as he broke through on goal, but Wilkinson then stung the palms of Evans as play swung from end to end.

Danny Johnson flashed a left-footed shot wide after some patient build-up play, before Ryan Broom was booked for a nasty tackle on Angol.

May then cut in from the right and tried to find the far corner, but sent his effort wide on 39 minutes.

Luke Varney nodded wide for the Robins from a Jake Doyle-Hayes free-kick four minutes into the second half, with May forcing Vigouroux into action with a speculative effort moments later.

And O's coach Ross Embleton made a double change on the hour, sending Joe Widdowson and Jordan Maguire-Drew on for James Dayton and Angol.

Vigouroux was called into action again to save a shot from distance from Chris Clements, before Wilkinson was booked for a clumsy challenge.

And Vigouroux had to tip away a long throw-in from Ben Tozer, with Ouss Cisse clearing the danger for the visitors, before May fired another attempt over on 72 minutes.

May lashed wide soon after when the ball reached him at the far post, with O's defending a couple of corners well, before Chris Hussey pulled the ball back for William Boyle, whose first-time shot was way off target.

But Cheltenham claimed all three points when Reuben Reid headed home from Ryan Broom's cross and O's could not find a way back during three minutes of injury time.

Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, Marsh, Coulson, Happe, Brophy, Dayton (Widdowson 60), Cisse, Clay, Johnson, Angol (Maguire-Drew 60), Wilkinson (Wright 81).

Unused subs: Sargeant, Judd, Kyprianou, Sweeney.

Attendance: 3,527 (including 439 Orient fans).