“Keep the faith” was Leyton Orient boss Russell Slade’s message to the fans after his side lost out to Huddersfield Town in their second game in hand on Tuesday night.

The defeat was the E10 club’s tenth at home in the league this season, leaving them unable to extend the five point gap back to the relegation zone.

It had all looked so promising for the O’s after skipper Matthew Spring had fired them in front inside 15 minutes, but the unfortunate Jimmy Smith got the final touch to a Jordan Rhodes back heel just four minutes later to level matters.

Rhodes was involved again just before the break when he converted from a long throw and the Terriers’ top scorer had the final say with the visitors’ third in the 90th minute, despite a battling display from the O’s.

Orient are not yet assured of their League One status for next season but the manager is looking for his side to cross the finish line as soon as possible in their six remaining fixtures.

Asked what his message to the supporters was, Slade replied: “Keep the faith. It has been a really frustrating and difficult time for me, the fans, the players and everybody connected with the football club. But we are still in a situation where it is in our own hands.

“We need to take care of that business, put the season to bed and start a new campaign next season on a positive note.”

The O’s have taken three points at Brisbane Road just once in 2012 and their ten losses in front of their own fans is a record matched only by Hartlepool United in the division.

And Slade stressed how frustrating he has found the club’s home record.

He continued: “The last time is obviously Brentford and it is difficult when you don’t win at home. I have said before, our away record is fairly decent. If we win one more game away from home that is actually better than last season. So that is reasonably satisfying.

“But you want to do well at home. You want to do well in front of your fans. You want to put on a performance. You want to see goals, and we haven’t done that.

“We haven’t done that enough, and I find that really frustrating.”

On the reasons behind Orient’s disappointing form at home, he added: “We would be here for another two hours if we really dug deep enough into the reasons. I think there are 1001 reasons to be honest.

“We have had to change goalkeepers several times, we have patched up a back four and changed that several times, and you want continuity in your side, particularly at the back.

“We have not had that continuity enough and now we are in a situation where it is difficult to get that continuity because for one reason or another, we have got an injury on Saturday to Cuthbert which has put him out for the rest of the season, so you pick up injuries and also you need fresh legs as well.

“So it is balancing that out and trying to get it right. We need to get it right, we will get it right. We need to get it right probably one or two more times to make sure that we are safe.”