LEYTON Orient players must learn the lessons of two defeats in four days if they are to win Saturday’s crucial relegation 'six-pointer' with Brighton & Hove Albion, according to boss Geraint Williams.

He was speaking after watching his team concede two goals inside the first 15 minutes against promotion-chasing Peterborough United, and then fight back to almost snatch a draw at the death.

With one eye on this weekend’s match against Brighton, Williams said: "We have got to learn. We should have got something from this game. But we’ve got to start learning, instead of saying it after the match."

Tuesday night at the Matchroom Stadium must have seemed like groundhog day to Williams, as his team shipped two early goals, in a repeat of the Hereford United gameon Saturday, which the O's lost 2-1.

But there were a few silver clouds among the dark ones that poured rain down upon Brisbane Road.

Orient came back from the dire start and nearly secured a point. Wayne Gray almost equalised with the final kick of the game on his comeback from a six-month injury lay-off.

His return to action was a highlight of the night. He ended the match by leading the line alongside Scott McGleish, who scored the first and second goals of his third spell at Orient. It means Williams has more firepower with which to shoot down the Seagulls on Saturday and then Carlisle United on Tuesday.

"The players can take confidence from the character they showed in the second half," he said. "Now we’ve got to do that with every game, starting on Saturday. Confidence and character is a factor in every match," said Williams.

"There’s a number of strikers pushing for the places. Wayne Gray came on and got himself into position to nearly resuce a point for us.

"McGleish took his goals very well. There was a lot of pressure to take the penalty (his first goal on 42 minutes) because things weren’t going our way. It was a very important penalty. He stepped up and smashed it home, which shows the bottle he's got as well as the fitness."

Williams revealed he was angry with his players at half time against Peterborough.

"I was very disappointed and annoyed at half time, for the first time. I told them to go out and make sure we could all look at each other at the end of the game. And the response was fantastic. Peterborough are the best footballing side in the division and we had a right go."

The O’s will need the same spirit against Brighton & Hove Albion. The Seagulls are one point and one place behind Orient in the relegation zone and will arrive at the Matchroom totally rested, after their Tuesday night game against Bristol Rovers was postponed. Then it is the long trip up to Carlisle on Tuesday for the O's