Scott Cuthbert insists it is about time the Orient players stood up and showed character to turn their season around after another hammer blow to their floundering league campaign.

The O’s conceded a 98th-minute goal at Gillingham at the weekend as they crashed to a 3-2 defeat which dropped them into the relegation zone.

Cuthbert faced the uneviable task of speaking to the media in the immediate aftermath of their late disappointment and was in no doubt about the response required from the team.

The Scottish defender said: “We just need to go again on Saturday. It’s been a disappointing start and we find ourselves in a position most people didn’t think we’d be in. It’s time for us to stand up and show the character which we have got.

“We have plenty of that left over from last year and plenty more that’s been brought into the team. It’s time for us show it.

“We’ve got to stick together, we will and hopefully we can get ourselves out of this situation.”

The three goals Orient conceded were all from set pieces and Cuthbert has taken responsibility for the dramatic winner by Cody McDonald.

He said: “I hold my hands up for the last goal. It’s my man that scored so I’m obviously massively disappointed. It’s gut wrenching to be honest after getting ourselves back in the game against ten men and then to switch off at a corner is massively frustrating.

“I can only really speak for myself. I just switched off a little bit. I thought I was going to win the ball with a header and he’s beat me to the ball with his foot. It’s as simple as that. It’s just one of those things.”

There have been a number of occasions this season where the defence have seemed uncertain playing in front of Adam Legzdins and Gary Woods but Cuthbert was adamant no blame should be attached to their keepers.

“I’m not for one minute going to blame the goalkeeper for our mistakes,” he said. “At the end of the day it’s our mistakes and not the goalkeeper’s. We have to hold our hands up and take responsibility ourselves.”

The O’s frustration was increased by the fact Orient had equalised in injury time through Chris Dagnall but still managed to lose the game in the final minute.

Cuthbert said: “I think we showed character to get the second goal but at the end of the day we’ve gifted them the goal with basically the last kick of the game so it’s massively disappointing.

“We were just concentrating on trying to get the second goal. We managed to do that and then were just waiting for the ref to blow the final whistle.”

Orient return home this weekend to face a critical match against second-bottom Crewe Alexandra, with the pressure increasing on last year’s play-off finalists.

Cuthbert said: “I think every game’s big when you’re down at the bottom. Even if we won this game the Crewe match would be massive because we want to keep on winning and get as far up the table as we can.

“I think for ourselves and for the football club we need a really good performance and three points.

“We need to start picking up points.”

Orient have the chance to gain revenge for their late defeat at Gillingham when they return to Priestfield next month in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

When asked if this was a positive, he said: “It’s no consolation because it’s a completely different competition. We would rather have had the three points but I suppose we have the chance to come back here and right some wrongs.”

One of the few encouraging results from Saturday was the debut of former Liverpool left-back Andrea Dossena after he played the entire match despite being short of fitness.

Cuthbert said: “Andrea’s experienced and has played at the highest level in the Champions League. He will bring a lot of knowledge to this side and hopefully, once he’s match fit, he will show us what he can do.”