City have not actually won through to the last 64 for 12 years now but the bigger picture for them is promotion.

Jones did not arrive at Valley Parade until Thursday but impressed down the right as deputy for hamstring victim Omar Daley.

The Northern Ireland international, 32, is determined to make a bigger impact during the five League Two games City face before his loan spell from Burnley is up on Cup day January 3.

Jones had little chance to impress Huddersfield Town caretaker-manager Gerry Murphy during his loan at the Galpharm due to injury but no sooner had he arrived back at Turf Moor than he was out of the door again.

He did not want to play in the League's bottom division but explained the factors behind the decision.

"It's just nice to be playing again," he said after City's never-say-die display against fast-improving League One opponents Orient, who arrived boasting five successive clean sheets.

"I got an abscess on my foot and could not walk for two-and-a-half weeks at Huddersfield where I was really enjoying playing. I returned to Burnley but the gaffer told me to come here and put myself in the shop window.

"I did not really want to drop so low but I jumped at the chance to come here because of the size of the ground and crowds, the history of the club and where City are in the league.

"I think Bradford City are a club going places and each game will be like an FA Cup tie in the league while I'm here.

"I'm also an Evertonian and, while at Huddersfield, David Unsworth told me so many good things about Stuart McCall (the City manager who was an £850,000 buy by Everton from the Bantams) and so I spoke to him and was very impressed by what I heard about his plans for the club. He's like an icon around here and was one of the main influences behind my decision to sign."

Jones went close to making it a dream debut with a shot which whistled just wide of the far post as Michael Boulding attempted to get a converting touch but by then Orient had taken the lead.

Adam Boyd, one of the top strikers in the bottom two divisions, came short, freeing space for Jason Demetriou to come in from the left and take the pass which enabled him to curl the ball beyond Rhys Evans, diving to his left, from the D.

Slick passing enabled Orient to monopolise possession, former Doncaster midfield man Sean Thornton at the hub of the action, but Tom Clarke started to snap City back into contention, a yellow card failing to hinder his wholehearted effort.

City suffered a blow, however, when Bary Conlon hobbled off to be replaced by Peter Thorne up front and Orient should have made it 2-0 when Dean Morgan went past Thomas Moncur but failed to get enough curl on his shot, which went wide.

They almost paid as Evans fired a goal kick which Thorne headed into the path of Boulding, whose instinctive first-time shot from 25 yards beat Glenn Morris but cannoned off a post.

Fellow loanee Nicky Law responded to midfield partner Clarke's lead and fired just wide before the break .

City found they could cope with the increased tempo which teams from a higher level generally play at and they had claims for a penalty in front of the Kop when Matt Clarke challenged for Kyle Nix's free-kick to the far post but went down under Danny Granville's challenge only for Craig Pawson to wave play on.

City, with a third 20-year-old, Luke O'Brien, not only getting to grips with tricky former Doncaster Rovers winger JJ Melligan but also finding time to support attacks, struck a deserved equaliser in the 58th minute when Tom Clarke won a challenge on halfway and sent Boulding past Adam Chambers down the left channel and into the area before producing a composed finish.

Seven minutes later and City hopes were dashed as Boyd's long-range shot was deflected for a corner which Morgan swung in and an unmarked Granville produced a cushioned header which looped home at the far post over the diminutive O'Brien to earn a home tie against Sheffield United.

It could easily have been 3-1 when Boyd's back-heel sent Melligan into the area only for Evans to block with his legs but the last 10 minutes belonged to City.

Graeme Lee swept the ball out to the supporting Moncur, who let fly a fierce volley which Morris could only parry into the air before hurriedly punching clear and Thorne had two heading opportunities, one of which went wide and the other which struck the back of the head of West Ham loan debutant Jordan Spence.

Orient held on to complete a Yorkshire double after their midweek smash-and-grab win at Huddersfield to leave City to concentrate on catching League Two leaders and the FA Cup's biggest shock victims of Saturday, Wycombe Wanderers.

Bradford City: Evans, Moncur, Lee, M Clarke, O'Brien; Jones, T Clarke, Law, Nix (Osborne 81); Conlon (Thorne 30), M Boulding. Unused substitutes: Arnison, Bower, McLaughlin, Ainge, R Boulding.

Leyton Orient: Morris, Purches, Thelwell, Spence, Granville; Melligan, Chjambers, Thornton, Demetriou; Morgan (Dawkins 84), Boyd (Jarvis 78). Unused substitutes: Jones, Cave-Brown, Terry, Palmer, Pires.

Referee: C Pawson (S Yorks).