Scott McGleish delivered a lesson in the virtues of determination and never giving in, with his two goals against Tranmere Rovers today.

The veteran scored on 24 minutes and then in the 70th minute with two strikes which showed what he is all about and secured three precious points.

McGleish displayed his unerring eye for goal when he shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner, in the first half.

Later on, he showed his instinct later on when he was in the right place at the near post to flick in Sean Thornton's tempting cross from out wide on the right.

His efforts set the home fans singing and was such a relief after what happened last Tuesday, when they had jeered the team after an inept FA Cup round one display against a Rovers side who carried about as much threat as a Teletubby at Christmas-time.

These three points will not garner the sort of money that progression in that competition will But they could be priceless come the end of the season.

In truth, Orient could have won by more but for some wayward shooting.

Boss Geraint Williams dropped Jason Demetiou to the bench after last Tuesday's game when he conceded the free-kick which led to Rovers' winner.

Andros Townsend started on the left wing. Jimmy Smith was out wide on the right.

Ryan Jarvis started up-front alongside Scott McGleish.

The team produced more to excite home fans in the opening 15 minutes than in the whole of Tuesday's game.

Ten minutes into the contest, and Ryan Jarvis had Orient's first shot, with a bending effort which cleared the angle of post and cross-bar. He started the move which ended with his strike from the edge of the box, when he laid off to tricksy Townsend, who set off deep into enemy territory.

Townsend looked like a man well revived for all his time on the pitch. His energy kept alive a couple of moves which had looked dead and buried.

Five minutes later and he whipped in a tempting low cross just out of the reach of a stretching Jarvis.

Just a minute later and McGleish pulled wide a low shot.

Orient were playing like they had something to prove. Which of course, they did.

But Rovers could still put the home fans hearts into their mouths. Chris Shuker wide high Zoumana Bakayogo looked a threat for threat for the Terriers, up against Steve Purches. He rounded the Orient captain on 18 minutes, but shut well wide.

McGleish fired Orient in front with an assured strike from the edge of the area on 24 minutes, low into the bottom corner of the net.

Jarvis supplied the crucial pass, and McGleish's cool-headed shot let everyone connected with Orient who has wondered how the O's will get goals, breathe a collective sigh of relief But that sigh nearly become a shout of shock a minute later, when Ian Goodison met a cross unchallenged in the centre of the area. He put his header into the arms of Glenn Morris.

Then it happened. Rovers levelled on 29 minutes when Glenn Morris could only parry Jonhn Welsh's long range half volley. Charlie Barnett pounced on the rebound, and Orient were back to square one.

Rovers came on strongly after their equaliser and old-boy Ben Chorley, not at his most commanding today, made important clearances. It was all hands on deck on a couple of occasions in Orient's area when the 18 yard box turned into a mixer.

Jarvis had a golden opportunity to fire Orient back in front when he went through one-on-one with Rovers keeper Luke Daniels. But he tried to run round the keeper, went too wide, and the score-line was unchanged at half-time.

Orient took a few minutes to find a groove, but Rovers rarely looked capable of winning. The hosts were all over the visitors.

Sean Thornton's running led to a corner and from that Townsend sent a low cross flashing across Tranmere's goal-mouth, but there was nobody there for the final touch it needed.

Townsend was at it again on 58 minutes when he ran onto Summerfield's defence-splitting through -ball and whipped another cross into the danger-zone.

Orient had the momentum and Williams put on Adrian Patulea in the 61st minute in place of Jarvis, for that added bit of bite in the final third.

But it was evergreen McGleish who put Orient back in front on 70 minutes. He met Thornton's whipped-in cross with a neat flick of his boot.

Tranmere looked devoid of ideas and Orient pressed on. Townsend put his pass from the Rovers touchline just behind McGleish on 82 minutes.

Rovers bos Les Parry threw on Michael Ricketts late on, and Mkandawire made more than one well-judged, high risk tackle to keep out the visitors.

Tension were at breaking point into the four minutes of extra time. Summerfield squandered a great chance to settle it when he blazed over Townsend's pass. But it did not matter, as Orient came away from this must-win game with all three points.

Morris, Purches, Chorley, Mkandawire, McGliesh, Thornton, Daniels, Jarvis (Patulea 61), Summerfield, Smith, Towsnend.

Subs: Ashworth, Chambers, Demetriou, Jones, Cave-Brown, Scowcroft, Patulea Attendance: 4,620, including 251 Rovers fans