Darren Moore said he has seen an improvement in his Port Vale side since he was appointed as manager a month ago after they collected a point from their goalless draw with Leyton Orient.

Funso Ojo and James Wilson both spurned good opportunities for the Valiants before a powerful drive by Alex Mighten was beaten away by O’s keeper Sol Brynn.

“I’ve seen an improvement again,” Moore said. “It’s our first clean sheet since December and we had chances and forced them into errors.

“A point should have been three points because we had opportunities, and on another night we might have shown more composure in the final third.

“I thought we forced Orient into some errors in terms of getting on the front foot and pressing high up the pitch and not allowing them to build because Richie (Wellens) has got them playing some good stuff here. They start games really, really well and we knew the first 30 minutes was really important.

“It was a rewarding point for the way they committed to the shape and stuck to their task. Credit to the boys for their commitment and endeavour, their concentration levels were better.

“The games when we haven’t come away with anything have been down to elementary mistakes and individual lapses of concentration.

“Credit to all the players, it was a valuable point tonight. For us to get ourselves up the league, it has to be a joint effort and the players have to keep performing at the level they can. It can’t be individual moments, it’s got to be a group effort.

“They are an honest group and they really care. We are happy to take the point and the clean sheet.”

Richie Wellens admitted that his Orient side were way below par.

“I think we huffed and puffed second half and we made a few chances but it was the poorest we’ve played for a long, long time,” he said.

“Credit to Port Vale because they’re fighting for their lives and they created some good opportunities first half and could have been a couple of goals up.

“We’re the home side so there is an onus on us to pass the ball and move it quickly but there was too many sideways and backward passes. It felt like that little spark had gone and it was a disappointing night and it was a really flat performance.

“Tiredness can’t be an excuse and with young players when that spark goes you need to refresh things but all over the pitch it was difficult and not a great spectacle.

“We’re not being overworked defensively but there’s no competition for some players and it felt like we went into lethargic mode knowing they can’t be dropped.”

Relegation-threatened Port Vale picked up a point in an uninspiring goalless draw at Leyton Orient whose play-off hopes received a massive dent.

Although the home side were on the front foot for the majority of the first half, they were unable to get past keeper Connor Ripley.

It was the visitors who spurned the best two chances of a drab and goalless first half.

From a set-piece, Funso Ojo cleared the crossbar with a close-range header and then James Wilson blazed over when he met a superb cross from one-time Orient forward Gavin Massey.

Four minutes after the break, Orient keeper Sol Brynn protected his clean sheet when he beat out a fierce shot from Alex Mighten.

Orient’s best chance fell to substitute Ruel Sotiriou when he latched onto a through ball with 12 minutes remaining and raced clear of the opposition defence before delivering a powerful shot that crashed against the bar before rebounding to safety.

The Valiants have now played 13 matches without tasting victory while Orient failed to find the net for the third successive match.

Leyton Orient gained bragging rights in their London derby with near-neighbours Charlton thanks to a goal from Omar Beckles.

The central defender met a cross on 80 minutes from substitute Dan Agyei – who had only been the field for two minutes when he sent a ball into the box – to earn a 1-0 win.

Neither side had anything to show for their intense energy in the first half with a lack of true quality proving their shortcoming.

Orient keeper Sol Brynn kept his side on level terms before the break when he was at full-stretch to keep out efforts from Corey Blackett-Taylor and Chem Campbell, after Watford loan striker Shaq Forde had spurned a good opportunity in the third minute for the home side when he blazed over the bar following a Theo Archibald corner.

Orient improved after the interval and were rewarded with Beckles’ defining goal, although they were indebted to Brynn’s fine late save from Blackett-Taylor that protected their win.

The victory exacted revenge for the O’s defeat by the same scoreline in the opening match of the season at The Valley.