Promotions are not only about free-flowing performances and convincing victories.

They tend to be remembered but grafting and grinding out results when you are not at your best are just as valuable in the final reckoning.

That was the case at the Matchroom Stadium last night in an uneventful and uninspiring 0-0 draw with Leyton Orient.

Albion had the best two chances either side of half time, through Matt Sparrow and Elliott Bennett on his return to the side after Norwich’s failed attempts to lure him away, but a draw was a fair result on a difficult pitch.

Gus Poyet will be satisfied with a hat-trick of clean sheets for the Seagulls.

A mild concern is their recent away form in League One. They have taken only five points from a possible 18 since a comprehensive win at Peterborough at the end of October.

Poyet made a hat-trick of changes to the team which knocked Watford out of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Casper Ankergren and Adam El-Abd returned, as expected, at the expense of Peter Brezovan and Tommy Elphick.

The question mark was over who Bennett would replace on his restoration to the starting line-up.

Poyet’s answer was a continuation of the striker rotation, with Chris Wood the odd man out this time.

Glenn Murray had been excluded at Bournemouth, Ashley Barnes against Colchester.

They were together again as a pair for the first time since the FA Cup tie against FC United of Manchester at the end of November.

Poyet’s predecessor was forced into a couple of changes following Saturday’s surprise FA Cup success at Swansea, which has earned Orient a plum tie at home to Arsenal in the fifth round.

Jonathan Tehoue came in upfront for the injured Scott McGleish. Stephen Dawson was only fit enough for the bench so Adam Chambers took his place in the centre of midfield.

Slade also included all three of his former Seagulls, Andrew Whing, Dean Cox and Alex Revell.

Slade’s planning was swiftly consigned to the dustbin. Chambers came off worst in more ways than one after a tackle on Bennett.

Not only was he booked but, to add injury to insult, he limped off shortly afterwards to be replaced by Dawson.

Both sides were, perhaps, suffering something of an FA Cup hangover after their wins against Championship opposition.

Neither defence was troubled much in the opening 20 minutes although Orient carried the greater threat.

Revell combined with Tehoue from a Whing free-kick before firing over.

Orient’s ex-Albion trio were no doubt as keen as anyone to make amends for the 5-0 defeat at Withdean on New Year’s Day, their only reverse in 15 matches.

Cox tried to provide a breakthrough with a cross which was just too high for Tehoue to direct his header on target.

The first half, for the most part, was reminiscent of Albion’s most recent setback at Bournemouth. They looked a little lethargic and uncharacteristically imprecise on occasions with their passing. There was also an absence of sharpness in their attacking thrusts.

Inviting Cox to shoot from 20 yards was risky. He accepted the invitation and Ankergren had to tip over the bar.

The problem for opponents is that, a bit like a boxer, if you let your guard down for an instant, then Albion are capable of delivering a knockout blow.

That almost happened in the 35th minute when Ben Chorley, the Orient captain and centre half, was caught in possession midway inside his own territory.

Gary Dicker and Barnes combined to release Sparrow but his effort from inside the box was parried by keeper Jamie Jones.

Orient, for all their endeavour, found it difficult to penetrate a disciplined Albion defence, covering well for each other.

The Seagulls fashioned another good opportunity early in the second half, Murray sending Bennett through for a shot inches wide. Bennett and his colleagues were adamant Jones got a touch but the referee awarded a goal kick.

At Bournemouth Poyet took the unusual step of making a triple substitution. There was only a double change this time, Craig Noone and Wood taking over from Sparrow and Murray with more than a third of the contest remaining.

Noone came off the bench to score his first goal for the club against Colchester last week.

The recent purchase from Plymouth nearly staged a repeat with a curling attempt just over the bar from the edge of the area, a rare flash of menace in a tight encounter.

Orient had one of their better opportunities with six minutes left when Terrell Forbes rose above Inigo Calderon on the edge of the six-yard box from a free-kick but glanced his header wide.

All things considered it was a decent point for Albion, bearing in mind that Orient are unbeaten at home since September.

Albion (4-3-1-2): Ankergren; Calderon, Greer, El-Abd, Painter; Sparrow (Noone, 57), Bridcutt , Dicker; Bennett; Murray (Wood, 57), Barnes. Subs not used: Brezovan, Elphick, Battipiedi, Holroyd, Sandaza.

Scorers: None.

Yellow Cards: Murray (23) foul, Bridcutt (85) foul.

Red Cards: None.

Leyton Orient (4-4-2): Jones; Whing, Chorley, Forbes, Daniels; Smith, Chambers (Dawson, 4), Spring (Crowe, 77), Cox; Revell, Tehoue (Mpoku, 59). Subs not used: Butcher, Jarvis, Carroll, Kane.

Scorers: None.

Yellow Cards: Chambers (2) foul, Smith (22) foul, Dawson (45) dissent.

Red Cards: None.

Referee: Mr Graham Horwood (Luton).

Venue: Matchroom Stadium.

Attendance: 5,872 (1,955 Albion).

Next match: Bristol Rovers v Albion League One Saturday (3pm).

Entertainment Value out of Five: 2.