Hylton and McGeehan strike as Hatters down Orient

Town's leading men Cameron McGeehan and Danny Hylton both took centre stage as the Hatters returned to winning ways, heaping further misery on struggling Leyton Orient this afternoon.

McGeehan was on target midway through the first half, tapping in from close range for his seventh of the campaign, with Hylton slamming home with 15 minutes to go, making it eight for the season and double his side's lead.

Hylton did then blot his copybook somewhat after Ollie Palmer had pulled one back, picking up his fifth caution of the season, meaning Luton's leading scorer will miss next weekend's home clash with Mansfield Town.

However, the result, which saw Luton end a run of three consecutive 1-1 draws, enabled Nathan Jones' side to climb up to fourth in the table, leapfrogging Portsmouth, who held leaders Plymouth.

The visitors made three changes to their side, with Alex Gilliead, Jordan Cook and Glen Rea back in for the suspended Olly Lee, as Jake Gray and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu dropped to the bench.

Luton then had to make a late alteration to their team in the warm-up for the second time this season, as James Justin pulled his calf muscle, with Stephen O'Donnell returning at right back.

Despite appearing to settle well, Hylton curling over, it was Hatters keeper Christian Walton's goal that came under the most pressure, as first he had to claw away Sandro Semedo's cross-shot from his near post.

Walton should have been picking the ball out of his net on 12 minutes, when Gavin Massey's cross deflected perfectly into the path of Palmer, but from eight yards out, he put his diving header badly off target.

Hatters took a full 25 minutes to test Alex Cisak, with another clever free kick routine, seeing Cook pick out Cameron McGeehan as he had done at Cheltenham, the midfielder's effort palmed behind by the home stopper.

Luton turned their pressure into the lead too as on the half hour, Gilliead robbed Jay Simpson of possession inside his own half, drove forward and fed Marriott, whose shot was blocked by Cisak, the rebound falling perfectly to McGeehan who made no mistake.

O's almost had an immediately leveller, when Luton were overloaded on the left hand side, but last season's leading scorer Simpson took an age to shoot, allowing Alan Sheehan to get a crucial block in, with the danger eventually hacked away.

Marriott then went it alone, cutting in from the left flank to wind his way past three O's markers, before seeing his shot deflected over the top, while Sandro Semedo opted to go from distance, shooting weakly at Walton, allowing Luton to enter the break a goal to the good.

In the second period, Nigel Atangana and Simpson both blazed over, as did Cook for Town, before Luton almost had the second they craved on the hour mark.

Marriott was sent clear by McGeehan's raking pass and shifted the ball on to his right foot, before his low effort was tipped on to the post by Cisak, the keeper recovering to prevent Cook from turning in the rebound from a yard out too.

With the game opening up, O's came close to levelling, when no-one tracked Nicky Hunt's advance into the area, his effort deflecting off Cook to beat the wrong-footed Walton, but fortunately for Luton, fly the wrong side of the post.

O'Donnell and Sheehan had efforts from range confidently handled by Cisak, while Walton was called into meaningful action on 70 minutes with Luton the architects of their own downfall.

The keeper didn't get enough on his clearance from O'Donnell's backpass, allowing Semedo to find Palmer, with Walton turned his 20-yarder away.

Luton then did have the breathing space they required when Hylton's marvellous flick saw Marriott scamper away and despite looking like he had allowed O's to regroup, picked out his strike partner who blasted through Cisak to find the net for the third game running.

With O's heads dropping and the atmosphere turning against owner Francesco Becchetti, Luton sensed further goals as Hylton powered away to set up Gilliead, only for him to shank disappointingly wide.

That was to prove costly too as on their next foray forward, O's were somehow back in with a shout, Palmer afforded the freedom of east London to reduce the deficit with 11 minutes left.

Hylton and Semedo then saw yellow for some handbags before the restart, although the forward almost made amends of sort, driving into the box and stinging the palms of Cisak who turned over for a corner.

With Orient reduced to lumping balls into the box for sub Paul McCallum, Town, with keeper Walton looking increasingly in control, saw out the final knockings to take the points back to Kenilworth Road.

Orient: Alex Cisak, Callum Kennedy, Tom Parkes, Ollie Palmer, Gavin Massey, Nigel Atangana (Alan Dunne 76), Nicky Hunt (C), Sandro Semedo, Jay Simpson (Paul McCallum 63), Yvan Erichot, Jens Janse.

Subs not used: Sam Sargeant, Ulrich Nnomo, Jordan Bowery, Zan Benedicic.

Hatters: Christian Walton, Stephen O'Donnell, Dan Potts, Scott Cuthbert (C), Alan Sheehan, Glen Rea, Alex Gilliead (Jake Gray 90), Jordan Cook (Johnny Mullins 89), Cameron McGeehan (Jonathan Smith 83), Danny Hylton, Jack Marriott.

Subs not used: Craig King, Zane Banton, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Isaac Vassell.

Bookings: Hylton 80, Semedo 80.

Referee: Trevor Kettle.

Attendance: 5,471 (1,341 Luton).

Hatters MOM: Danny Hylton - another brilliant display upfront for the Hatters.