Scott Cuthbert has described it as a season-defining week for Orient as they face two of their closest rivals in the battle to avoid relegation from League One.

The O’s face Yeovil Town in a crunch clash at Brisbane Road on Saturday with the visitors bottom of the table. A home game against in-form Barnsley follows on Tuesday night before another crucial trip to second-bottom Crawley Town on Saturday, March 21.

Cuthbert said: “It’s massive and a season-defining week for us. You need to beat the teams around about us and if we can take maximum points from Yeovil at home and Crawley away then that’s definitely our aim and what we’re hoping we’ll get.

“We just need to focus on ourselves, look to Yeovil now and hopefully get a positive result. If we can get that then hopefully it jumps us out of the bottom four, can really get us going and we can get a bit of momentum going into the back end of the season.”

The pressure on the O’s is increasing by the week and could peak again this weekend when they are expected to defeat the Glovers at home. But the Scottish defender insists the squad have enough experience to be able to deal with the expectations.

Cuthbert said: “There’s pressure on every game. Last season there was pressure on us when we were going for promotion. This year there’s pressure on us to stay in the league so it’s no different. We demand the best from ourselves as individuals and as a team every time we go out there on the pitch.

"There’s pressure on us all the time but we’re strong enough and have enough experience in here to be able to deal with it.”

He added: “Of course we still believe. We’re not going to stop believing. There’s still a lot of fight and spirit left over from last season and we’ll fight to the death. We’re more than capable and confident in our own abilities to get out of this trouble and we will.”

Orient have struggled in front of their own fans this season, with the worst home record in the division, and Cuthbert has called on the supporters to give them a strong backing for their pivotal fixtures over the next week.

“They were fantastic in the last game at home and we need their support again,” he said. “They came in their numbers to Peterborough which they always do and we’re disappointed not to get a result for them. But we need them because they’re massive to us.”

After picking up three wins recently, Orient have stuttered in the last week with back-to-back defeats against leaders Bristol City and Peterborough United.

But Cuthbert is adamant the team are on the right lines under Fabio Liverani despite their recent setbacks.

“We are heading in the right direction,” the versatile defender said. “This was a little slip up but it was three wins from five before this game so we are going in the right direction. We seem to be a lot more solid and scoring goals apart from today. We need to dust ourselves down and Yeovil is just a massive game for us.”

The O’s were left frustrated by Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Peterborough when they were beaten by a fortunate first-half cross from Jon Taylor.

Cuthbert said: “I think it was just one of those days. If you look at the goal it’s a bit of a fluke. It’s a cross that looks like it’s going a mile over and then a gust of wind gets it and puts it in the top corner. After that I think we huffed and puffed but never really created too many chances.

“That was the frustrating thing for us that we never managed to, especially when they went down to ten men in the last five minutes, push on and create a few chances to make their goalkeeper pull off a few saves at least.”

The match was also marred by the late injury to influential midfielder Romain Vincelot after he was stretchered off with a knee injury. Speaking before Vincelot was ruled out for the rest of the season,

Cuthbert said: “I was really worried about him because he’s not one to stay down too easily. He looked really pale. He’s in a brace now and was up and talking so hopefully he can get to the doctor and have a scan on it and it’s not too serious because we need him.

“I think the people on the stretchers were walking backwards half the time trying to get on the pitch. It took ages to get a stretcher but he’s ok, up there talking and got ice on it so hopefully it’s nothing too serious because he’s a massive player for us.”

Cuthbert has had to wait patiently on the bench, during the last couple of weeks, to return to the side following a minor injury. The 27-year-old took the captaincy on Saturday with Nathan Clarke out of the side but is adamant the club skipper is still an integral member of the side.

“Clarkey is the club captain and he's a fantastic one,” Cuthbert said. “I’ve said it from day one, he’s been the best I’ve ever played under and every single one of those players will say exactly the same thing.

"He holds the changing room together and is one of the focal figures and he’s the club captain. It doesn’t matter who wears the armband on Saturday whether it’s Romain or me because Clarkey’s the club captain.”

Another member of the squad who has been notably absent is veteran striker Kevin Lisbie. The former Charlton Athletic forward has made just four appearances since returning from a long-term shoulder injury in December and his contract expires this summer.

When asked about Lisbie, Cuthbert said: “I think it’s one of those things where we’ve got such a competitive squad. We have a lot of strikers as well and Kev’s a great guy. He’s been there and done it playing in the Premier League at the highest level.

“He’s great to have about the place and although he’s not been involved his attitude is spot on and he’s working tirelessly on the training ground to try and get in the squad. But unfortunately it’s the manager’s decision at the end of the day.”