Orient 2 Albion 2. The doubters were out in force when Nicky Forster failed to score in nine of his first ten starts for Albion.

Forking out £75,000 in the summer for a striker the wrong side of 30 seemed to some like frittering away money the Seagulls could ill-afford to waste, especially when he looked short of sharpness early on in the season and only found the net (twice) against Southend.

Where are those cynics now that Forster has emerged as the answer to Albion's goalscoring prayers?

Since returning from a thigh injury, the former Hull marksman has hit the target five times in as many matches, lifting his tally for the season to seven.

It is not just his goals that are making a difference.

Forster, accustomed now to working harder in training than he has anywhere else in his career, looks as if he has got that old zip back.

He is creating goals as well, a couple previously for his partner Bas Savage and another on Saturday for Dean Cox to supplement his equaliser seven minutes earlier.

He is also having an influence on younger members of the squad like Cox.

The little left winger said: "The gaffer has done well there, bringing in a good signing. He is a great professional. "He is great around the training ground and his experience is rubbing off on the likes of me, Jake Robinson and Tommy Fraser.

"He has been there and done it. He talks to us before and during games and it just gives you that extra edge when he talks to you."

Forster, fresh from his third double of the campaign against Cheltenham in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, brought Albion back into the match midway through the second half with an opportunistic strike.

He capitalised on slack defending with a right-foot snapshot from 20 yards which Orient keeper Stuart Nelson should have pushed to safety.

Jason Demetriou regained the lead for Orient two minutes later with a precise finish from a low cross by substitute JJ Melligan before Forster played a leading role again.

His header from George O'Callaghan's centre rebounded off the bar for Cox to nod Albion level once more.

Forster also went close after that with a hooked effort just wide when the ball bounced inside the Orient area.

His pivotal contribution after the break earned him the man of the match accolade from Sky summariser Garry Birtles, much to the mischievous amusement of Cox.

"I'm a bit disappointed, I didn't think he was worthy of it," quipped Cox, before adding: "He's a great goalscorer and he is now showing his finishing.

"He has got great movement. A couple of times in the second half I found him to feet around the edge of the box and that is where he is good at rolling defenders and spinning off them.

"He could have had another great goal with that audacious chip. If he keeps banging them in I am sure we are going to stay where we are in the League, if not higher."

Albion will if substitutions by Dean Wilkins also continue to pay off as handsomely as they have done with such regularity this season.

Robinson transformed them as an attacking force with his pace and desire to run at defenders after replacing David Martot on the right early in the second half.

Cox said: "Bas came off the bench the other night and got a goal, Jake came on and changed the game with is pace and aggressiveness to take the full-back on and get crosses into the box. We have got players who can come off the bench and do as good, if not a better job, than those playing."

Robinson clipped the bar with a shot from outside the box as Albion again finished the game strongly. They could have won it in the end, Dean Hammond glancing a header inches wide from a Cox cross in the final minute.

Hammond was also unfortunate to have a header from another Cox centre on the stroke of half-time disallowed by referee Tony Bates for pulling Alton Thelwell's shirt when it looked a case of six of one and half-a-dozen of the other.

A draw was a fair result overall. Albion, struck by stage fright in front of the cameras in the first half, looked a shadow of the side which has now lost just once in 12 matches.

Their passing was all awry, Forster and Savage struggled to retain possession and Orient showed them how it should be done when Sean Thornton, back from suspension, clipped a clever ball through for Wayne Gray to rifle over Michel Kuipers into the roof of the net from ten yards.

Gray, borrowed by Albion during Peter Taylor's reign, could have snatched victory against the run of play with the last kick of the match three minutes into stoppage time when he was unmarked eight yards out. Kuipers came to the rescue by smothering his swivelling effort with his legs.

Orient will be annoyed at missing the chance to go top again and letting a lead slip for the fourth time in five games.

Albion showed tremendous resolve and, unlike last season, look capable of sustaining a promotion challenge this time, particularly if Forster remains on fire.

ALBION (4-4-2): Michel Kuipers (GK), Adam El-Abd (RB), Guy Butters (CB), Tommy Elphick (CB), Matt Richards (LB), David Martot (RM), George O'Callaghan (CM), Hammond (CM), Dean Cox (LM), Nicky Forster (CF), Bas Savage (CF). Subs: Jake Robinson (for Martot 58), Joel Lynch (for Butters 71), Nathan Elder, Tommy Fraser, John Sullivan.

YELLOW CARD: Elphick 42 (foul).

RED CARDS: None.

GOALS: Forster 68, Cox 75.

LEYTON ORIENT (3-5-2): Stuart Nelson (GK), Stephen Purches (RB), Alton Thelwell (CB), Tamika Mkandawire (CB), Charlie Daniels (LB), Sean Thornton (RM), Adam Chambers (CM), Paul Terry (CM), Jason Demetriou (LM), Wayne Gray (CF), Adam Boyd (CF). Subs: JJ Melligan (for Thornton 39), Jabo Ibehre (for Boyd 78), Brian Saah, Wayne Corden, Glenn Morris.

YELLOW CARDS: None.

RED CARDS: None.

GOALS: Gray 27, Demetriou 70.

How good is Nicky Forster?