Leyton Orient 0 Scunthorpe United 2 - Embleton’s first game back as interim head coach ends in defeat

A Scunthorpe goal in each half ensured Leyton Orient made it four League Two games without a win as they were beaten 2-0 at home.

It was Ross Embleton's first game back in the position of interim head coach following the sacking of manager Carl Fletcher after just 29 days in charge on Thursday.

Josh Coulson almost inadvertently gave the away side the lead when his sliced clearance from Alex Gilliead's cross flew just over his own bar early on.

But on five minutes Scunthorpe did have the lead when the ball fell to Gilliead outside the box, who fired a wonderful strike into the top corner.

Kevin Van Veen was the next United player to have a go, curling an effort well over the bar from 25-yards out.

Orient's first effort came from Louis Dennis on 17 minutes, who fired over from distance.

The home side had a good chance to equalise when Coulson's flick-on found Craig Clay at the back post but the opposition goalkeeper Jake Eastwood did well to deny him, with Marvin Ekpiteta then heading wide from a corner.

Dan Happe then had his effort from inside the box blocked on 21 minutes before Ross Embleton's side had their penalty appeals for a handball waved away six minutes later.

The O's struggled to create many clear-cut chances as they looked for a way back into the game but James Brophy had his powerful strike beaten away by Eastwood four minutes before the break.

Embleton had Sam Ling to thank for keeping the score at 1-0 to the Iron as he slid in to deny Abo Eisa a tap-in from Gilliead's pass right before the break.

Orient had the ball in the net early in the second half from Matt Harrold's header but the linesman's flag was up for offside.

The home side pushed for an early second half equaliser as Clay's tame effort rolled wide of the post on 51 minutes.

Just before the hour mark, Coulson's fantastic sliding challenge denied Van Veen a shot at goal inside the area from Novak's pass to keep the score at 1-0.

On 63 minutes, Orient wasted a great chance to level as Dennis was played in down the left but his effort from inside the box lacked accuracy as Eastwood saved with his feet.

Scunthorpe had their second on 78 minutes when Novak burst through down the right and found the top left corner with a fantastic finish.

Brill palmed Eisa's powerful effort away from goal four minutes later before the goalkeeper was equal to another of his effort's two minutes from time.

Substitute James Alabi had a go from a tight angle a minute later but Eastwood was able to parry the ball into the air before claiming.

Alabi again had a chance to score a minute later but he headed Jordan Maguire-Drew's free-kick wide as Orient fell to a home defeat.

Leyton Orient: Brill, Ling, Ekpiteta, Coulson, Clay, Maguire-Drew, Happe, Brophy, Dennis, Harrold, Wright

Scunthorpe United: Eastwood, Clarke, Nthle, Lund, Van Veen, Perch, Novak, Gilliead, McArdle, McGahey, Eisa

Attendance: 6,670