Leyton Orient promoted to League One despite lights going out in Gillingham defeat | OneFootball

The O’s have led the way in League Two all season under Richie Wellens and didn’t even need a point at the Priestfield Stadium to seal a return to the third tier of English football for the first time since 2015.

Omar Beckles was sent off for a last-man foul in the 14th minute before Alex MacDonald put the hosts ahead with the resultant free-kick.

Idris El Mizouni’s handball gave Gillingham a chance to make it two from the spot late in the second half, which Cheye Alexander duly converted.

But the action off the pitch came to define Orient’s evening as the floodlights failed at the Priestfield, just as rivals Bradford conceded to Swindon - creating the scenario for promotion despite their own scoreline.

With the players taken off, play eventually resumed with the visitors knowing their fate was sealed and they calmly played out the remaining minutes before the celebrations could begin.

After some difficult years and dropping out of the EFL entirely in 2017, Orient have been on the up since being taken over by Nigel Travis and Kent Teague six years ago.