Cherries’ bid for a fifth successive home victory bit the dust in controversial circumstances on a night of high drama at Seward Stadium.

Goals from Kevin Lisbie and Jimmy Smith earned Orient the points but failed to tell the whole story as referee Iain Williamson took centre stage.

The Berkshire-based official made good use of the advantage rule in the lead up to Cherries’ first-half equaliser, netted by Marc Pugh.

But Williamson also turned down two cast-iron penalty shouts for Cherries as Lee Bradbury’s men were the victims of some rough justice.

Harry Arter and Donal McDermott both earned recalls as boss Lee Bradbury made two changes following Cherries’ stalemate at Hartlepool on Saturday.

The pair were drafted in at the expense of Steven Gregory and Scott Malone, who both dropped to the bench, while Bradbury also named Jayden Stockley among his substitutes.

Southampton defender Ryan Dickson made his first appearance following his loan move to Orient, with fellow loanee Solomon Taiwo from Cardiff on the bench.

Seeking a fifth successive home win, Cherries made a bright start and Wes Thomas, who netted in the 3-1 victory at Brisbane Road in September, fired over from a tight angle.

Matt Tubbs, teed up by Shaun MacDonald’s defence-splitting pass, squandered a glorious chance to open the scoring when he poked his shot past the upright with only Lee Butcher to beat.

And Cherries’ woes were compounded when Lisbie immediately profited from a goalkeeping error by Darryl Flahavan to break the deadlock in the 17th minute.

The experienced striker tried his luck from the tightest of angles with Flahavan betrayed by his own handling as the ball squirmed through his grasp at the near post.

McDermott’s attempt to quickly restore parity proved in vain, the Irishman dragging his shot wide following a sharp turn and shot from the edge of the box.

Buoyed by their good fortune with the goal, Orient went in search of a second and MacDonald was forced to block bravely after Jonathan Tehoue had taken aim from 20 yards.

However, Cherries deservedly drew level through Pugh after 34 minutes, the goal owing much to intelligent refereeing from Iain Williamson who made good use of the advantage rule.

With assistant Tim Robinson flagging furiously for a foul on Thomas, Williamson allowed play to continue and Tubbs carried on the Cherries attack.

And after Tubbs had stood firm to hold off defender Forbes, Pugh was on hand to despatch the loose ball past Butcher and into the bottom corner.

Cherries went close to taking the lead when MacDonald’s stunning 35-yard volley soared inches over the crossbar before McDermott’s low drive was turned around the post by Butcher.

The Orient goalkeeper also did well to hold Pugh’s first-time snapshot and then confidently gathered a long-range effort from Brisbane Road old boy Charlie Daniels.

Flahavan atoned for his first-half blunder when he pulled off a top-drawer save to keep out Jimmy Smith’s bullet header from a Dickson corner five minutes into the second period.

The Pugh-Thomas combination almost unlocked the Orient defence for a second time, the striker’s diving header from the winger’s precision cross flashing past the post.

Referee Williamson, applauded by Cherries supporters for using common sense with Pugh’s goal, lost all credibility with the hosts when he turned down two penalty appeals in quick succession.

Firstly, Williamson refused to point to the spot after Tubbs had been unceremoniously wrestled to the ground by Scott Cuthbert in the 62nd minute.

And the official was also unmoved when the same player, sent off when the teams met in September, stuck out his left arm to block McDermott’s goalbound effort.

Both decisions were met with incredulity by home supporters and the Cherries management team, while even visiting media reported the incidents as “let-offs”.

Once calm had been restored, Orient goalkeeper Butcher pulled off a smart save to palm a fierce right-foot strike from Tubbs away for a corner.

Disaster struck for Cherries when the visitors regained the lead, Smith outjumping Daniels at the far post to power home Tehoue’s deep cross 15 minutes from time.

Orient also had a penalty appeal fall on deaf ears when Tehoue went to ground under a clumsy challenge from Stephane Zubar.

Cuthbert was belatedly booked for hauling back Thomas before a frantic goalmouth scramble ended with Butcher saving Zubar’s looping header.

Flahavan’s double save from Lisbie kept the scoreline at 2-1 before Butcher’s diving stop denied Daniels an injury-time equaliser.

Cherries (4-4-2): Flahavan, Francis, Zubar, Cook, Daniels, McDermott (Malone, 78), Arter, MacDonald, Pugh (Fletcher, 84), Tubbs, W Thomas.

Unused subs: Purches, Stockley, Gregory.

Booked: Arter.

Orient (4-4-2): Butcher, Forbes, Cuthbert, Leacock, Dickson, Smith, Spring (Chorley, 87), Laird, Cox, Lisbie, Tehoue (Porter, 82).

Unused subs: Cureton, McSweeney, Taiwo.

Booked: Spring, Forbes, Cuthbert, Butcher.

Referee: Iain Williamson (Berkshire).

Attendance: 5,412 (inc 241 away supporters).