Leyton Orient boss Fabio Liverani praised his side's attitude for fighting back in their crucial 3-1 home win over Port Vale.

The O's produced a ragged first-half performance yesterday which saw them trail 1-0 at Brisbane Road. But Orient rallied in the second half against ten man Port Vale to claim a vital three points in their League One survival battle.

Liverani, whose side equalised from David Mooney's penalty after goalkeeper Chris Neal was sent off, said: "We were a bit scared in the first half and didn't play as we know. But I'm very pleased with the performance in the second half and the players' reaction. 

"The attitude was very different and of course episodes played a big role in football. We had a favourable episode with the penalty and it turned the game for us."

Another boost for the O's was the return of midfielder Lloyd James after coming on as a late substitute. James has been out with a broken leg since September but Liverani has warned he cannot be seen as the club's saviour.

The Orient boss said: "James is an important player for the club over the past season. He's also a player that's got attributes different from the other players we have in the squad. 

"It's his first game back so we can't consider him the saviour. But he's a player that can help us until the end of the season but we have to be able to wait until he is 100 per cent."