Leyton Orient interim manager Kevin Nugent admitted his side were always up against it after Darius Henderson’s sending off as they slumped to their first away defeat of the season.

The 33-year-old was dismissed for an elbow on Robert Duffy just after the half hour mark and two goals in the space of four second half minutes from Adam Yates and Ben Williamson put Vale on the front foot.

Their misery was compounded with Nathan Clarke’s late own goal and Nugent had been unhappy with their start to the match, before the dismissal of the former Nottingham Forest forward.

“We didn’t start the game particularly well with 11 men and when you go down to 10 that early it made it difficult,” said Nugent.

“I wanted to go in and re-galvanise them at half time but we lost a man and it changed the situation.

“Football management is never easy but the situation has arose and we have had another player sent off and that has cost us.”

It’s fair to say the O’s and Nugent haven’t been helped by three sending-offs in their last four games, and two of those have come from the more experienced players in Jobi McAnuff and Henderson.

But the O’s will now have to regroup for Tuesday and will be without Henderson unless they appeal the decision, and Nugent will have a closer look at the footage before coming to a decision.

“I have had a quick look at it and the footage isn’t great if I am honest so it is difficult one,” he added.

“Either way though the sending off has happened and it has cost us.”