Barrow’s four-game unbeaten run came to an end on Saturday afternoon as two second half goals from Leyton Orient consigned them to defeat at The Breyer Group Stadium.
The Bluebirds were once again competitive and gave as good as they got during an entertaining first half but Orient found a more clinical edge after the break and strikes from Dan Happe and Dan Kemp did the damage.
Barrow began the game well and were immediately on the front foot in the first couple of minutes before Orient fired back with a period of danger of their own during a frenetic opening.
The Bluebirds certainly hadn’t come to play for a point, and they attacked Orient again down the left on eight minutes when Patrick Brough’s low cross just failed to find Luke James’ run at the near post.
The home side responded with another good spell and Louis Dennis cut inside from the right to let fly with a shot on goal which was deflected wide of the near post.
Brad Barry then galloped forward down the right on to Quigley’s pass and sent a low cross into the front post but this time James could only stab wide under pressure from a defender.
Conor Wilkinson was looking a threat on the right for The O’s and he sent a testing deep cross into the far post which just evaded Dennis and dropped behind for a goal kick.
However, Wilkinson was back in possession moments later when this time he jinked his way into some space inside the Barrow box but his shot took a deflection and flashed wide.
From the resultant corner, Orient did have the ball in the Barrow net but a collision between home striker Danny Johnson and Bluebirds keeper Joel Dixon resulted in a free kick to the visitors.
The biggest chance came midway through the half when Chris Taylor whipped a brilliant corner in from the left and Ollie Banks timed his run perfectly to meet it with a powerful header, but it flew just wide of the near post.
Quigley saw a shot deflected wide after running away on the counter-attack following a brilliant ball from Tom Davies, while Orient came close when James Brophy cut inside from the left before curling an effort just too high.
Orient began the second half in more determined fashion and could have been in front when Dennis’ deep cross found Wilkinson, but his firm strike was parried away by Dixon.
However, The O’s were in the lead from the corner which was sent deep from the right and then headed back across the six-yard box where Dan Happe reacted quickest to force it into the net.
Orient doubled their advantage on 63 minutes when a lovely switch of play gave them space to work with on the right. Dan Kemp took full advantage, skating along the edge of the area before sending a low left-foot finish into the bottom right corner of the net for 2-0.
Rob Kelly gambled by throwing Calvin Andrew and Tom Beadling on in place of the two Taylors and Dimitri Sea wasn’t far behind as the young Frenchman entered the action too.
Beadling could have reduced the arrears when he did well to get on the end of ball in from the right, taking a decent first touch before sending a volley on goal which flashed just wide of the post.
Barrow continued to show heart towards the end and engineered a couple of half chances but could not find a route back into the game as Orient maintained their hopes of sneaking into the League Two play-off picture.
Full Time: Leyton Orient 2 Barrow 0
Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, Happe, Clay (McAnuff 63), Wilkinson, Kemp (Cisse 77), Brophy, Dennis (Freeman 63), Akinola, Turley, Kyprianou, Johnson (Abrahams 88).
Subs not used: Sargeant, Widdowson, Coulson.
Barrow: Dixon, Barry, Eardley, Brough, Thomas, Davies, J Taylor (Beadling 66), C Taylor (Andrew 66), Banks, Quigley, James (Sea 77).
Subs not used: Moloney, Brown, Wilson.
Booked: Brough.
Referee: Christopher Sarginson
Attendance: Behind Closed Doors