Crewe's poor away record continued at Brisbane Road this afternoon with a lack of concentration at the back down our left hand side, allowing right-back Stephen Purches to score what could be a decisive goal in the battle to remain in League One after this season.

The all-important goal arrived after just 10 minutes, when Purches was given far too much space inside the Crewe penalty area and he despatched his shot past John Ruddy to give the home side a precious three points in what was their new manager's Geraint Williams' first home game in charge of the London club.

In fairness, Crewe did enjoy the majority of the possession during the game but never possessed that killer touch to get ourselves back in the game. The Alex were guilty of missing some decent chances and were perhaps a bit unlucky to have a Tom Pope header ruled out in the first half for offside.

For all their hard work, Crewe had nothing to show for their efforts and things will have to dramatically need to improve on the road if we are to escape the drop.

Gudjon Thordarson welcomed back Dennis Lawrence from International duty with Trinidad and Tobago and the on-loan defender from Swansea City partnered Marlon Broomes in the centre of the Crewe defence. Julien Baudet returned to the starting line-up but in a central midfield role. The unfortunate one to drop out of the starting line-up was Mark Carrington. The Manchester-born midfielder arguably played his finest 90 minutes at senior level against Tranmere, scoring the equalising goal in our 2-1 win.

Due to his own influential part during the second half revival against Tranmere Rovers, winger Joel Grant was reinstated to the starting line-up ahead of youngster Danny Shelley.

On the other wing, Colin 'Junior' Daniel was left out because of personal reasons and his place went to Shaun Miller.

A stray pass from the back by Billy Jones presented his former club with the first sight of goal after just two minutes - but after the returning Scott McGLeish had fed his strike partner Adam Boyd, his shot from just inside the Crewe penalty area didn't trouble our new number one John Ruddy.

Crewe's first half chance of the afternoon duly arrived just five minutes later. Jones delivered one of his trademark free kicks to the head of Baudet and his downward header fell invitingly to Tom Pope inside the Leyton Orient penalty area. After turning, Pope had his shot blocked superbly by Jordan Spence.

It was a fairly open affair and it took the home side just 10 minutes to open the scoring. Crewe were completely caught out at the back, with Adam Chambers providing the advanced right-back Stephen Purches with the perfect opportunity to score his third league goal of the season. Wide man Joel Grant didn't track his man back and with Billy Jones not in position either; Purches guided it past the helpless Ruddy to punish the Alex winger's lack of concentration.

In a quick reply, full-back Billy Jones unleashed a controlled half volley from around 25 yards out, that Orient keeper Jamie Jones just about held onto at the second attempt.

On 19 minutes, a long throw into the box from Clayton Donaldson had the desired effect of causing havoc inside the six-yard box. Keeper Jamie Jones came to collect but was blocked off by his own defender Tamika Mkandawire and the ball loosely spun into the air towards the far post. Sadly, for the Railwaymen Grant and Dennis Lawrence got in each other's way and Grant could only harmlessly head into the side netting. If communication had been better, it had been a good opening for Crewe.

At the other end, Lawrence did exceedingly well to get across and block another effort from Boyd and in the follow up Jimmy Smith fired straight at the well positioned Ruddy. It was Boyd's last involvement on the afternoon as he limped out of the action soon after to be replaced by our former loanee player Dean Morgan.

Baudet was the first player to be cautioned on 27 minutes when he tripped Smith in full flight in the centre of the pitch. After winning a free-kick himself following a clash of heads with McGleish, Crewe did have the ball in the net.

Jones' accurate free-kick was perfect for the head of Tom Pope, who guided it past Jones but the assistant referee ruled it out for offside. The Alex players were far than impressed with the decision, as it appeared Pope had timed his run through the crowd to perfection. It would have certainly been a close call to make with so many bodies inside the Orient penalty area. If he had just strayed offside it would have been marginal to say the least!

Just after the half an hour mark, Purches again tested Ruddy with a powerful shot from just inside the Crewe penalty area. The Alex keeper's agility allowed him to tip it over the bar for Orient's first corner of the afternoon. Crewe were not picking up the marauding right back as much as they should have been.

Crewe did look a threat themselves at the other end, with Donaldson breaking the offside trap but firing wastefully wide after cutting in from the left hand channel. Pope also had another shot blocked by Mkandawire after Jones made another untidy attempt to take a Billy Jones cross.

Smith was booked for deliberately cutting out a Billy Jones cross with his hand but from the resultant free-kick Lawrence was just beaten in the air by Adam Chambers.

Although Crewe had had their chances, it was the home side going in at the interval 1-0 ahead.

The second half kicked off with Baudet thumping a shot directly into the face of Spence and at the other end, a wayward pass from Broomes presented McGleish with another opportunity - but he couldn't produce the accuracy to catch Ruddy and his shot sailed over the bar.

Crewe pressed forward looking for an equaliser but Pope couldn't take a Miller cut back into his stride inside the penalty area and from the follow up Woodards dragged his shot wastefully wide. Jones was also unfortunate not to see anyone apply a telling touch to another superb delivery from a free-kick, won on the edge of the box following a trip on Miller.

Chambers wastefully shot wide for the home side and Thornton did likewise when off balance on the edge of the Crewe penalty area.

On the hour mark, captain Baudet departed the action for Carrington. Soon after Jason Demetriou was a lot closer with a decent effort from 20 yards after Morgan had intelligently held up possession up against Lawrence and Brayford.

After a Brayford shot had been deflected behind for a corner, Pope should have done better from Grant's delivery into the box. The Alex striker was granted a lot of space but seemed to get under his header and as a consequence sent it over the bar. It was a chance.

Pope was replaced by Bryon Moore soon after, with Miller moving into the centre alongside Donaldson.

Following a swift counter-attack, Leyton Orient had a chance to seal the three points on 78 minutes. Demetriou broke clear down the Crewe right but was denied by Ruddy. A minute later, they should have killed off Crewe when Carrington headed a back pass meant for Broomes straight into the path of Dean Morgan.

After drawing Broomes across to him, his short pass to Thornton should have resulted in the experienced midfielder tapping into an empty net but Ruddy did enough to put him off at his feet and the former Sunderland man didn't make a proper contact and he could only direct it wide.

The vibrant Moore nearly caught out of the advanced Jones after getting to a cross first but his attempted effort just about cleared the Orient crossbar. From yet another corner for the Alex, Carrington headed over from another decent position.

With a last throw of the dice, Gudjon Thordarson threw on Zola for Woodards. Crewe were certainly going for broke but in doing so were left awfully exposed at the back. Morgan wasted two decent chances on the counter attack.

With time running out and frustration beginning to creep in, Billy Jones was booked for dissent on his return to Brisbane Road. Crewe were finishing strongly, and were certainly in the Leyton Orient a lot more than they were in ours, but we didn't create too many clear chances and Jamie Jones didn't have too many saves of note to make.

Despite having the majority of the possession Crewe were not creative enough in the final third of the pitch and a lack of concentration at the back had cost us very dear indeed.