Leyton Orient 2, Albion 2.

Albion twice came from behind to draw 2-2 away to Leyton Orient.

Nicky Forster, with his fifth goal in as many games, and Dean Cox were the scorers as the Seagulls fought back in a thrilling second half.

And Albion looked the more likely winners in a rousing finish.

Manager Dean Wilkins had a couple of key decisions to make.

He kept faith with David Martot on the right, rather than recalling Jake Robinson, after the Frenchman scored one goal and set up another in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy victory against Cheltenham.

Wilkins also opted for Guy Butters in preference to Joel Lynch in the centre of defence alongside the fit-again Tommy Elphick.

Orient boss Martin Ling brought Sean Thornton back into midfield from suspension at the expense of JJ Melligan.

Wayne Gray was retained upfront after scoring Orient's goal in the FA Cup draw at home to Bristol Rovers so Jabo Ibehre had to settle for a place on the bench after recovering from injury.

The choices made by Ling were vindicated by the manner in which Orient took a 27th- minute lead.

A clever pass with the outside of his right foot by Thornton released Gray who thumped the ball over Michel Kuipers into the roof of the net from ten yards.

The East Londoners just about deserved their advantage at that stage. George O'Callaghan's inability to find his passing range in the opening half hour typified the team's Albion's first-half performance.

Most of the plaudits for the Seagulls in the opening 45 minutes were reserved for defenders.

Elphick, back from a groin injury, invariably got a head or boot to most things.

Adam El-Abd, playing at right-back for the suspended Andrew Whing, also did well in quick succession to first clear from Adam Boyd and again when Paul Terry tried to get his head on a cross.

Albion were caught out at the back in the 33rd minute when Terry, older brother of England captain John, was totally unmarked from a Charlie Daniels corner.

Fortunately, his well-struck volley hit the boot of Butters and rolled gently through to Kuipers.

Most of Albion's best attacking moments of the first half involved skipper Dean Hammond, back at the ground where he once had a loan stint.

A cross from Matt Richards was just too high for him to direct a header on target and another header from Hammond glanced well wide from a cross by Cox.

It was not until the lead-up to half time that the Seagulls began to show glimpses of their fine recent form.

O'Callaghan, fed by Bas Savage, curled an effort narrowly high and wide from 20 yards.

Hammond thought he had equalised on the stroke of half- time with a header from Cox's centre but referee Tony Bates spotted that he had tugged at the shirt of Orient defender Alton Thelwell and ruled it out.

Albion benefited from the departure through injury in the closing stages of the first half of the influential Thornton.

They went into the interval aggrieved by Hammond's disallowed goal and with a degree of impetus, which they could not quite sustain.

Orient re-grouped and threatened to double their lead.

A 25-yard drive by Daniels, rampaging forward from left-back, was pushed for a corner by Kuipers.

Either side of Daniels' effort, Orient left winger Jason Demetriou fired over and scuffed a volley wide from the edge of the area.

Demetriou, who scored Orient's consolation in the second of two 4-1 defeats by Albion last season, also crossed too far ahead of the unmarked Gray, with the Seagulls' defence looking in vain for an offside flag.

The introduction of Robinson for Martot 13 minutes into the restart added a bit more pace and thrust to Albion's advances.

Martot had his virtues but Robinson's willingness to run at and take on defenders added an extra dimension.

The Seagulls were back on terms midway through the second half, courtesy of a fine piece of opportunism from the in-form Forster.

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

Having worked hard to restore parity, the Seagulls switched off and were punished as Orient regained the lead two minutes later.

A low cross from substitute Melligan reached Demetriou beyond the far post. The youth team product, 20 today (Sunday), made amends for his earlier wastefulness by planting a precise shot into the top corner.

It could have been a killer blow but Albion in their current mood are made of stern stuff.

They were level once more within another five minutes. Forster's header from O'Callaghan's cross struck the bar and Cox, the smallest player on the pitch, was on hand to nod in the rebound.

The Seagulls looked the likelier winners after that. Forster hooked narrowly wide when the ball bounced inside the Orient area and Robinson was unlucky with a shot from outside the box which clipped the bar.

Terry also went close for Orient with an effort just over the bar from the edge of the area.

Albion's point was well-earned in the end, although both sides could have three.

Another Hammond header from another Cox cross glanced inches wide in the final minute.

Then, with the last kick of the match, Gray had a chance to steal it for Orient with a swivelling shot from eight yards which Kuipers did well to smother with his legs.

Albion: Kuipers, El-Abd, Elphick, Butters, Richards, Cox, O'Callaghan, Hammond, Martot, Forster, Savage. Subs: Sullivan, Lynch, Robinson, Elder, Fraser.

Leyton Orient: Nelson, Purches, Thelwell, Mkandawire, Daniels, Thornton, Terry, Chambers, Demetriou, Gray, Boyd. Subs: Morris, Saah, Melligan, Corden, Ibehre.

Referee: Tony Bates (Staffordshire).

What did you think of Albion's performance? How well has Dean Wilkins done to get Albion into the position they are?