JORDAN RHODES did the business once again as Huddersfield Town grabbed the win they needed to keep their automatic promotion hopes alive.

Neither Sheffield United nor Wednesday, who come to the Galpharm for a real crunch League I derby on Saturday, will be writing Town out of the equation after Rhodes stuck twice to clinch a seventh away victory of the campaign.

Town had a tough start in East London, going behind to Matthew Spring’s 14th-minute shot.

But Jimmy Smith’s own goal had them back on level terms within three minutes, and Rhodes’ goals at the end of each half had Town travelling supporters singing in the rain.

Town, unbeaten in four visits to Brisbane Road and seeking a third successive victory at the venue, made just one change.

Big frontman Alan Lee came in for a first start in eight games at the expense of Gary Roberts, who dropped to a bench which included Danny Cadamarteri.

Calum Woods, recovered from a groin niggle, was also among the substitutes, with Tom Clarke retaining the left-back berth.

It was a 100th career start for the versatile homegrown player, who had a spell on loan at Orient earlier this season.

The home side, in need of points to steer clear of the relegation zone, included former Town goalkeeper Paul Rachubka, who is on loan from Leeds.

On a greasy surface, Town won three corners in the first 10 minutes, all taken by Danny Ward, but they were comfortably cleared.

Then when the ball fell nicely to Lee Novak 25 yards out, the Town striker shot over.

Orient’s first chance came with a 12th-minute corner, but David Mooney, playing as a lone frontman, headed well wide from Dean Cox’s delivery.

However skipper Spring made no mistake two minutes later, lashing home a shot from the edge of the area after Town could only partially clear George Porter’s long throw from the Orient right.

The response, however, was swift. Three minutes later Ward flighted in another corner, the bustling Lee caused panic in the home defence and as the ball broke free, Rhodes’ clever flick was diverted into his own goal by midfielder Smith.

Lee was making a real nuisance of himself, and his flicked header forced Orient into conceding a fifth corner, which came close to producing a second Town goal.

Captain Peter Clarke met Ward’s ball in with a firm header, but home scorer Spring stuck out his right leg to clear off the line.

There was a blow for Town and right-back Jack Hunt in the 33rd minute, when his trip on Mooney was deemed a yellow-card offence by referee James Linington.

His 10th caution of the campaign brings a two-match ban, keeping him out of the Easter fixtures at home to Sheffield Wednesday and away to Bournemouth.

Lee followed Hunt into the book for a tackle from behind on Ryan Dickson four minutes before the break.

The game itself had become a little disjointed, with passes by both sides going astray.

But moments after the fourth official had signalled two minutes of time added on, there was cheer for a visiting contingent of 603 fans which included actor Patrick Stewart.

Rhodes showed all his goal-poaching instincts to get in front of his marker at the near post and prod home after Lee flicked on Sean Morrison’s long throw from the Town left.

Manager Simon Grayson made a double change at the break, with Woods coming on for Hunt, who was on a final warning after a second foul on Mooney, and Scott Arfield replacing Novak, who looked to have taken a knock.

Woods took the left-back berth with Tom Clarke switching to the right.

Town keeper Alex Smithies plucked Mooney’s shot out of the air cleanly while Rhodes headed over from Diego Arismendi’s cross as the sides traded chances early in the second half.

Arfield was putting in a determined effort down the right as Grayson’s side worked hard to prise open the Orient defence once again.

But it was the Londoners who threatened in the 73rd minute, when substitute Kevin Lisbie glanced a Cox corner across the face of goal.

Town replaced Lee with Cadamarteri on 78 minutes, and it was the substitute’s aerial challenge with Dickson which set up Rhodes for his instinctive last-minute finish.

In the process, the Scotland ace who now has 37 goals for the campaign equalled Town’s seasonal-best league tally of 35, chalked up by both George Brown and Sammy Taylor.