Leyton Orient defender Shane Lowry feels things are getting better ‘slowly but surely’ after the O’s goalless home draw against MK Dons.

The point picked up at Brisbane Road against the league’s top goalscorers up until Saturday follows on from the 2-2 draw at Sheffield United the previous weekend.

And while frustrated at not winning against the Dons, the former Millwall defender was pleased with the two points they have picked up in the space of a week.

“It’s been two draws in very tough games and both those teams are going to be in and around the play-offs this season so we’ll take it,” said Lowry.

“We played with 10 men against Sheffield United for a good 20-25 minutes and that game took a lot out of us and we went down to 10 again on Saturday.

“People thought we might crumble last week with the man sent off but we have showed character in both games. Slowly but surely we are starting to put things right.”

It was frustrating day at the office in front of goal for the O’s where they failed to make the most of their chances.

Shaun Batt came the closest to breaking the deadlock when through one-on-one with Dons goalkeeper David Martin, only to spurn the opportunity.

And while disappointed it didn’t work out well up one end of the field, he was delighted with their defensive showing against a side who have scored plenty of goals this season.

“A clean sheet is a massive thing personally and as a back four we have been conceding too many goals recently,” he added.

“We’ve scored goals in the last few games but we’ve been leaking too many and their keeper made some decent saves.

“Shaun went through one-on-one in the first half and they had a couple of half chances and Woodsy pulled off a couple of very good saves as well.”

The Australian himself came close at Brisbane Road on Saturday when he let fly from some 40 yards, only to see Martin pull off a fine save.

It took most people at Brisbane Road by surprise, but not the former Aston Villa man.

“I changed my mind at the last second,” he added. “I was just going to pump it back into the box and I thought ‘you know what I will have a little dig’ and once you catch it in that sweet spot I thought it was going top corner but the keeper read it quite well and made a good save.

“Afterwards I was just laughing. People probably don’t expect me to do it. In training the goalkeeping coach Kevin Dearden is always yelling at me because I am bashing balls about.

“I love to have a few strikes and I am confident in myself that when I catch it sweetly I can score a couple of goals.”