Leyton Orient ended a miserable run of seven home League One games without a win as Alex Gilbert struck in the 79th minute to beat Stevenage 1-0 at Brisbane Road.

The goal that broke the hoodoo

It was not a performance built on fluency or flair. Orient were patchy for long stretches, but they grew into the contest and Gilbert's finish proved enough to secure three points. It was the O's first home league victory since 21 March, a statistic that had hung over the club for months.

Assistant manager Paul Terry acknowledged the psychological weight of that record, but insisted the coaching staff were careful not to let it become a burden on the players.

"As staff, we were aware of that, but you don't want to get bogged down by that because it becomes a weight on the players' shoulders a little bit," Terry told BBC Radio London. "We haven't made a big thing of it. As long as we do the right things in a game, we're always going to have a chance of winning it."

Ugly but effective

Terry was candid in his assessment of the display. Orient were not at their slick best and the scoreline flattered neither side in terms of entertainment. What the result did offer was a lesson in grinding out results, something every promotion-chasing side in the third tier needs in its locker.

"It wasn't our best performance, it wasn't pretty," Terry said. "We've done the ugly side of the game and we've got the goal we needed and three points."

Stevenage, for their part, will feel they had enough of the ball to threaten but could not convert that into anything to show on the scoresheet. A defeat leaves them reflecting on a missed opportunity to pick up points on the road.

A result for the whole club

The win clearly meant more than just three points to those inside the dressing room. Terry was keen to spread the credit as widely as possible, referencing the supporters who had endured a testing run of results at home.

"This is for everyone: the players, the staff, the fans, everyone associated with the club, because we were all together on that one," he said.

Brisbane Road had been a frustrating venue for the O's faithful. Seven home games without a league win is the kind of run that tests patience on the terraces, and the final whistle on Saturday was met with the sort of relief that only that sort of wait can produce.

What it means in the table

The three points will lift Orient's mood heading into the next fixture, and they provide a platform the squad can build on. Converting Brisbane Road back into a fortress is crucial if the club wants to sustain any push up the League One table as the season develops. Home form separates the contenders from the mid-table pack at this level, and Orient have now taken a first step towards reclaiming that advantage.

For Stevenage, the defeat is a bump in what has been a busy recent run of fixtures. They travel back to Hertfordshire pointless from this trip but will look to regroup quickly.

Orient's next assignment will set the tone for whether Saturday's result marks a genuine turning point or a one-off reprieve. Either way, for one afternoon at least, Brisbane Road finally felt like home again.

Frequently asked

When did Leyton Orient last win at home before beating Stevenage?
Orient's previous home league win was on 21 March. The 1-0 victory over Stevenage ended a run of seven home league games without a win at Brisbane Road.
Who scored for Leyton Orient against Stevenage?
Alex Gilbert scored the only goal of the game in the 79th minute to give Orient a 1-0 win.
What did Paul Terry say after Orient beat Stevenage?
Assistant manager Paul Terry dedicated the victory to everyone at the club, saying it was not a pretty performance but that Orient did 'the ugly side of the game' to earn the three points.