Leyton Orient were left to rue a nightmare start as they fell to defeat at Bolton.

Omar Beckles produced a superb block to deny Jon Bodvarsson at point-blank range in the very first minute, but the respite was brief as Josh Dacres-Cogley got in behind the visiting defence to slot home moments later.

Bolton doubled their advantage on seven minutes when Dion Charles beat Sol Brynn to leave O's with an early mountain to climb and it was 3-0 on 10 minutes as George Thomason struck for the hosts.

Play was held up while the shellshocked Brynn received treatment, before a dangerous low cross from Theo Archibald was turned behind by a home defender.

And Ethan Galbraith's corner was cleared out to Tom James, who saw his volley well held by Nathan Baxter.

O's grew into the game more towards the end of the first half and Shaq Forde had a low cross well cut out, before Ruel Sotiriou was booked for a foul on Josh Sheehan.

Darren Pratley and Idris El Mizouni replaced Jordan Brown and Sotiriou during the break, with O's going close on 52 minutes when Dan Happe flicked a long throw from James into the path of Forde, whose volley was blocked.

James was booked for a foul on Bodvarsson, before Forde hit back on 55 minutes, sliding the ball home from Archibald's cross.

But Archibald then had his name taken, after bumping into Kyle Dempsey on halfway, and Forde saw Baxter save his effort from range after a mix-up in the Bolton defence.

Archibald cut the gap to one when thumping his shot home on the hour mark, but El Mizouni then had to make way after picking up an injury and was replaced by Max Sanders.

Dan Agyei replaced Joe Pigott with 18 minutes left and Forde sent a cross whizzing across the face of the Bolton goal as O's pushed for an equaliser.

The hosts were then almost punished for a mix-up in their defence after a hopeful long ball forward from Orient, but Happe was booked for blocking Cameron Jerome, before Beckles produced a big block to foil Victor Adeboyejo on the counter attack.

And Forde had a shot headed off the line in the fourth minute of stoppage time as O's were left empty-handed.

Leyton Orient: Brynn, James, Happe, Brown (Pratley 46), Pigott (Agyei 72), Sotiriou (El Mizouni 46) (Sanders 67), Archibald, Forde, Beckles, Galbraith, Hunt (Moncur 89). Unused subs: Howes, Turns.

Attendance: 21,482.