Scott Cuthbert’s nomination for League One’s player of the month award came as a complete shock to the man himself.

But of more immediate concern is Orient bouncing back from last weekend’s heartbreaking loss to Rotherham with a win against Peterborough on Saturday.

The defender said: “It came as a surprise to me. It just one of those things but really it could have been any of the players, it’s just good that Orient have been recognised.

“It comes part and parcel with getting results and it probably helped that I chipped in with a couple of goals.

“I’ve been nominated before but never won. If I do it will be great, if not it’s not the end of the world.”

In a double celebration for the O’s, manager Russell Slade is up for the manager of the month gong after guiding his players to four wins out of four league games in January.

Cuthbert was part of a defence which conceded only one goal in that period, and he also weighed in with goals at the other end against Shrewsbury and Carlisle.

The Scot was disappointed with the last-gasp goal conceded in South Yorkshire last time out and is expecting a tough test from Posh’s prolific strikeforce.

Britt Assombalonga is League One’s top scorer - he’s scored 22 goals in all competitions - while Nicky Ajose has scored five in the last three league games after returning from a productive loan spell at Swindon where he scored against Orient in November.

Cuthbert said: “Peterborough are a good attacking team and it should be an end-to-end game.

“We played them earlier in the season and put in a really good performance but I know it’s going to be a difficult one.

“Rotherham was very disappointing, especially the manner with which we lost the game.

“But we’ve had a lot of ups this season and we’ve got to take the downs too, we’re looking to bounce back on Saturday.”

Saturday’s clash is the start of six home games in seven for the O’s - a chance to get a good run of form under their belt, says Cuthbert.

The Championship is Cuthbert’s ultimate aim.

He came 90 minutes from reaching that level during his time at Swindon, losing in the 2010 League One play-off final to Millwall, but for the time being Orient are just taking things one game at a time.

The 26-year-old said: “We all want to get to the Championship.

“But we just have to concentrate on our own game rather than fret about other teams. “Afterwards we’ll look at how the likes of Brentford and Wolves are doing, but if we look after ourselves and keep picking up points everything else will fall into place.”

Cuthbert faces competition from Ajose, Brentford forward Marcello Trotta and Rotherham’s on loan defender James Tavernier.

The winner will be announced tomorrow, we will publish details of the outcome.