Fortunately there were no banana skin slip-ups down in Gloucestershire as the gap in class between two sides three divisions apart finally told.

Although we don’t make it easy for ourselves sometimes – some people say that it is ‘typical Leyton Orient’- I never thought we were that troubled and I thought we got it right in every department.

In some ways Gloucester had their best chance of seeing us off eleven days ago as we were on the back of a run of three consecutive defeats and critics would have said we were probably there for the taking.

But, on that occasion we were saved by the weather and coupled with last weekend’s Shrewsbury home win, I think we went into the game full of confidence – despite a sluggish first ten minutes against our Conference North hosts.

And, over the years we have had the annoying habit of not marking our goalposts at corners – but fortunately a defender was there to deny Gloucester a shock opening goal and that set the tone for the rest of the evening – doing the right thing – i.e. getting bodies behind the ball and breaking at pace against a sometimes over-physical side.

Some teams might have reacted against Gloucester’s sometimes – arguably – over-zealous challenges – David Mooney, Dean Cox, Moses Odubajo and Gary Sawyer would no doubt attest to that – but credit to our players for not writhing around in agony, but just getting on with the game.

Ultimately, our honesty and endeavour paid off. Some might say we got out of jail, but you could probably sense as the game wore, our fitness began to tell and we punished them at the back and just about edged through to what – I am sure – will be another FA cup tie we are expected to win. So, no pressure, then!

In what is becoming a busy time on the pitch, Carlisle are next up.

This is a place where we have enjoyed some degree of success and with their fans having been moaning at their manager recently, I would fancy us going there and nicking a point.

And, if the players have anything left from that almightily long journey, then I would think we could go to Portsmouth next week full of optimism.

Keep the faith,

Up the O’s.