Dean Wilkins is beginning to build a pretty strong case to be named Albion's new manager.

It is probably still a little early yet and there is no rush, with matches coming thick and fast, but Albion made it two wins and a draw under caretaker Wilkins with a resounding first home victory for four games in League One.

The result was never in doubt once Paul Reid had given Albion an early lead, two minutes after a red card for Orient captain John Mackie for tugging back Gary Hart.

Adam El-Abd and Dean Cox added further goals before half-time to put the issue beyond doubt.

The second half was primarily a tale of two penalties, one missed by Dean Hammond for Albion, the other scored by Matthew Lockwood late on for Orient.

Substitute Doug Loft added a fourth for the Seagulls in the dying stages to leave Orient still without a point away from Brisbane Road and Wilkins a step closer to having the word caretaker' removed from his title.

A feature of Wilkins' reign so far has been his willingness to tinker with the team and tactics from game to game and during games, according to the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition.

The pattern was maintained against Orient, El-Abd replacing teenager Tommy Fraser after Tuesday's 2-2 draw at home to ten-man Bournemouth.

Wilkins switched back to the 4-3-3 system used prior to his appointment by former manager Mark McGhee.

Reid joined Hammond and Cox in midfield, with Alex Revell reverting to the right wing, Alex Frutos on the left and Hart down the middle.

Goalkeeper Wayne Henderson's exclusion from the squad continued following his transfer request.

Wilkins' attention to detail was further demonstrated by him swapping the dugouts around, so that the home one is towards the west end of the ground.

Among the four Orient changes was the return of former Albion striker and leading scorer Lee Steele from a virus.

Orient looked determined to improve on their poor record on the road so far this season in the early stages.

They made all the running and El-Abd was forced to concede a couple of corners as the Albion defence weathered the visitors' pressure.

The Seagulls barely got outside their own half in the opening ten minutes and, when they did, Frutos was closed down by Orient's imposing centre-half Clayton Fortune, back in the side after injury.

The momentum shifted dramatically in Albion's favour with a straight red card for Orient captain Mackie in the 14th minute.

The former Crawley centre-half made a mistake which allowed Hart to get in behind him and he then pulled back the Seagulls' stalwart five yards outside the penalty area. There was nobody covering, so referee Darren Drysdale really had no option.

The Seagulls were quick to make the extra man count, Reid giving them the lead within two minutes of Mackie's departure.

A corner by Frutos was cleared by the Orient defence only as far as the edge of the area, from where Reid drilled a low shot past Glenn Morris.

Reid's second goal of the season, following his winner at home to Boston in the Carling Cup last month, was just the tonic Albion needed after their apprehensive start.

They still needed to be on their guard, because they were 2-1 up and a man up in the second half against Bournemouth but let the lead slip.

As if to emphasise the point, Orient came close to a rapid response in the 19th minute.

A free kick from the left flank by Matthew Lockwood cleared the head of Georges Santos. Gary Alexander chested it down at the far post before unleashing an angled shot which Michel Kuipers acrobatically turned behind.

Martin Ling, the Orient manager and former Albion loan signing, deserved credit for staying true to his attacking instincts. His reaction to his team's deficit, both in terms of numbers and the score, was to replace Wayne Corden with Justin Miller in midfield, while keeping Steele and Alexander up front.

His adventurous approach to adversity counted for little on the half-hour when El-Abd doubled Albion's lead in unstoppable manner. There seemed little danger when the powerfully-built young rightback cut inside on to his weaker left foot but he thundered a shot beyond Morris from 25 yards.

El-Abd's first senior goal on his 50th start for the club was certainly one to remember and it gave Albion the platform to relax and really impose themselves on the contest.

Morris, deputising in goal for the injured Glyn Garner, was kept busy before the break. He saved efforts from outside the box by Frutos and Mayo and made another routine stop when Revell directed a downwards header from a cross by Frutos straight at him.

Albion were rampant and they went 3-0 up in first-half stoppage time through Cox's second goal in the space of three home games.

Revell set him up inside the area and the diminutive midfielder made no mistake with a low drive from a tight angle which went in off the far post.

Their cause well and truly lost, Orient resorted to damage limitation in the second half, the introduction of Daryl McMahon at the expense of Steele leaving Alexander to forage in isolation.

Having scored three goals for the first time since sharing six with Leeds at Elland Road a year ago, the only question that remained was whether Albion would keep their foot on the gas or reserve some energy for the looming hat-trick of treks to Southend, Carlisle and Yeovil.

They showed no sign of relenting straight after the break when Revell's shot on the turn from Cox's cut-back was deflected over the bar.

Substitute Miller attempted to earn Orient a semblance of respectability with a well-struck shot from 35 yards which Kuipers tipped over the bar.

Albion spurned a gilt-edged opportunity to go even further in front in the 61st minute when they were awarded a penalty.

Reid was impeded by Miller as he tried to get on the end of a cross by El-Abd which was punched clear by keeper Morris.

Hammond, on target from the spot against Brentford at Withdean last month, was denied this time as Morris dived to his left to save.

Morris emerged from a miserable afternoon for the visitors from east London with considerable credit. He pushed away a shot by Cox, whose follow-up was then deflected over the bar by Fortune but could do nothing in the 81st minute when Cox tapped a free kick to Reid on the edge of the area and the Australian cracked a shot against a post.

Orient gained some consolation from the penalty spot two minutes later, Matthew Lockwood reducing their arrears after substitute Jabo Ibehre was dragged down by Santos from a free kick.

Loft, on in place of Frutos, rounded off an emphatic triumph in stoppage time with a header from a cross by fellow-substitute Jake Robinson.

Albion (4-3-3): Michel Kuipers (GK), Adam El-Abd (RB), Georges Santos (CB), Joel Lynch (CB), Kerry Mayo (LB), Paul Reid (CM), Dean Hammond (CM), Dean Cox (CM), Alex Frutos (LW), Alex Revell (RW). Gary Hart (CF). Subs: Doug Loft (for Frutos, 68), Jake Robinson (for Hart, 78), Tommy Fraser (for Santos, 87), Guy Butters, John Sullivan.

Leyton Orient (4-4-2): Glenn Morris (GK), Adam Tann (RB), Clayton Fortune (CB), John Mackie (CB), Matthew Lockwood (LB), Wayne Corden (RM), Adam Chambers (CM), Donny Barnard (CM), Joe Keith (LM), Gary Alexander (CF), Lee Steele (CF). Subs: Justin Miller (for Corden, 17), Darryl McMahon (for Steele, 46), Jabo Ibehre (for Alexander, 73), Brian Saah, Paul Connor