Steven Schumacher admitted winning was the only thing that mattered as the Whites came good late on to stay in the promotion hunt.
A 91st-minute penalty from Mason Burstow secured Wanderers’ first home success in three games after Thierry Gale’s opener had been swiftly cancelled out.
The 2-1 win over Leyton Orient lifted Steven Schumacher’s men up to third place in the table and the boss was happy just to bank the points.
“It was scrappy, but I’m just delighted to win. That was the important thing from today,” said Schumacher after his side extended their unbeaten run to three games. “We've had a tough week, two hard away games, a long journey on Tuesday night and our seventh game in a month.
"That was only their fourth, so we looked a little bit tired at times, technique let us down a couple of times when we were passing the ball. It wasn't an easy pitch and a bit of a scrap but at this stage of the season, who cares? We won.
“A week’s a long time in football. Before we went into the Wigan game and people are panicking and whatever, it just shows you when you can be consistent in this division, at this moment in time, you can move up the league.
“We're third now, and I don't know how many points we are off second, but that's what we should be doing, looking forward. We will definitely play better than that, we need to play better than that at times, we need the confidence to come back into the players a little bit.
“Again, there's still a little bit of edginess in there, so if we can do that, keep moving in the right direction, we'll be fine. Another game comes quick on Tuesday against a team (Burton) who I thought did really well the other night at Lincoln.
“It'll be another tough game but it gives us a chance to build some momentum and if we can get another good result there then it keeps us going the way we want to be.”
Josh Sheehan missed the win over Orient with a calf problem, while winger Amario Cozier-Duberry had to be replaced before half-time after picking up a knee injury which will be assessed to gauge the extent of potential ligament damage.
Wanderers were stretched at times but got the break they needed when Azeem Abdulai handled to give the Whites their first penalty in League One this season and the chance for Bairstow to drill home his first goal since October and take his tally for the campaign to eight.
“I said we should have had a penalty a couple of times this season, none more so than in the Mansfield game and today we got one from a handball. That's happened to us as well a couple of times this season but today it went in our favour,” Schumacher added.
“But we had a couple of other chances before the penalty so we did look as though we were knocking on the door.
“I thought if anyone was going to score the second goal it was going to be us and I'm just delighted as well for Mason to get himself back on the score sheet again. It's been a while.”
Watch the full post-match interview with the boss on Wanderers TV