Richie Wellens hails work rate as Leyton Orient resist Rovers to remain top

Posted Sunday, September 04, 2022 by PA

Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens praised his players for their hard-fought win as they extended their lead at the top of Sky Bet League Two to three points following their 2-0 home victory over Tranmere.

The Londoners are now unbeaten in their opening seven league matches having won six of those matches as they enjoy a 100 per cent home record.

It took an own goal from Jordan Turnbull to put them ahead before half-time and late in the second period Paul Smyth struck to ensure the three points.

“It was a hard performance and a great win,” Wellens said.

“I was buzzing when Tranmere changed from a diamond formation. We played into their formation so many times in the first half and it gives you a problem.

“There were a couple of occasions where we got it right but our principles weren’t there often enough from us for my liking and we turned it into a second-ball game.

“Tranmere will finish around the play-offs because they are so good at winning those second balls, they can press you and they have been doing that for the last two or three years now consistently.

“They are a very difficult team to play against and very organised and we struggled at times.

“In the second half it was survival mode for the first 10 to 15 minutes where we couldn’t win those second balls and then it became a bit of a basketball game with them having more attacks than us but without our goalkeeper really being tested.

“We then made good decisions and put the ball in crucial areas and I was really pleased with the last half an hour.”

Opposite number Micky Mellon was frustrated about the outcome.

“We were well in the game up until the point where we gave away a really soft goal,” said the Rovers manager.

“We weren’t being troubled and we were doing really well up until then and the things we had spoken about before the game were working.

“I am not sure we had enough imagination at times when we did win it back. For whatever reason that was I don’t know because we believed we could match their players on the pitch. I thought the body language when we conceded the first goal looked too disappointing and not angry enough to find a way back on before half-time.

“We came out second half and the game looked like it was fizzling out but then we had a couple of opportunities and when the ball came off the goalkeeper I was wondering where we were. We should have reacted better at that moment and then the game did fizzle through.

“We didn’t win enough individual battles to get ourselves up the pitch or get in behind them.”