HARTLEPOOL UNITED’S shambolic season slumped to a new low as they lost 2-1 at Leyton Orient.

Against the Football League’s worst side, inept Pools lost and yet remain a point above the drop zone because Newport lost 6-1 at Plymouth.

Their desperate day was made even worse as Liam Donnelly was red carded in the 90th minute after chasing referee Dean Whitestone and squaring up to him.

Pools did actually take the lead, Rhys Oates showing strength  to hold off defenders in the area and poke an angled finish across keeper Sargeant from eight yards.

But instead of going for the kill and finishing the home side off, they sat back and invited pressure.

Orient levelled when Donnelly, woeful throughout, was beaten by Clarke and his cross found the unmarked Adeboyejo, who turned home from close range.

Lewis Alessandra had a glorious opening to score, teed up by Padraig Amond who poked the ball embarrassingly at the keeper from close range.

Pools collapsed, went into the shells and managed to concede again.

Two weak challenges saw the ball break for Abrahams who crashed a shot from 20 yards into the net.

There was no first-half response from Pools, as they failed to lay a hand on the opposition.

In the second period, Oates missed a free header from inside the six yard box and the same player then failed to connect properly when the ball landed at his feet.

Manager Dave Jones replaced top scorer Padraig Amond with Devante Rodney in the second-half.

Orient won at home for the fifth time this season – equal to the number of managers they had. How they deserved it.

Jones said: 

Jones said: “We started well, we spoke about it, get ahead and quieten the crowd. They are playing for pride, but where is ours?

“As soon as the goal went in, we concede a poor goal again, simple mistakes and I was in shock as we didn’t get near them.

“We have had second half chances to get a goal, but we have to put them away. We were very lucky with Newport losing and that can’t happen all the time.''

LEYTON ORIENT (4-4-2): Sargeant; Clarke, Pollock, Mezague; Semedo, Kelly, Collins, Ochieng; Alzate (McVallum 60), Adeboyejo (Koroma 75), Abrahams (Moncur 84). Subs: Janata, Dalby, Happe, Janse.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-3-3): Fryer; Magnay, Harrison, Walker, Donnelly; Alessandra, Featherstone (Rooney 82), Deverdics (Woods 46); Thomas, Amond (Rodney 62), Oates. Subs: Bates, Hawkins, Blackford, Dudzinski.