Richie Wellens believes Leyton Orient put ‘blip’ behind them with Walsall draw
Posted Sunday, February 12, 2023 by PA
Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens believes his side are over their recent blip after storming back to earn a draw at Walsall that moved them eight points clear at the top of Sky Bet League Two.
Orient won just once in seven games between Boxing Day and the end of January but have now taken seven points from their last nine.
After falling behind at Walsall, they totally dominated the second half, with on-loan Brighton centre-back Ed Turns’ exquisite late strike earning them a deserved point from a 1-1 draw.
“You tell me one team that doesn’t go through a blip,” said Wellens.
“The Arsenal Invincibles, Manchester City, Liverpool in the Premier League but at our level it is a lot different. I don’t think there will ever be a team in League One or Two that are going to waltz it.
“For me, when we went through that rocky patch, I could see the performance levels and intensity had dropped a bit and that is what worried me.
“But the performances over the last three games have been really positive.
“Take away the first 15-20 minutes today, it was complete dominance, especially second half. I just said to the players at half-time, ‘please believe how good you are’.
“Not many teams will come here and dominate like that.
“We were a little bit slow out of the blocks today but it was a strong, positive performance in the second half, a well-deserved point and it should have been three.”
Joe Low’s first-half header put play-off hopefuls Walsall ahead but Orient bossed the second half.
Turns hit the bar with a header before levelling and it needed a fine Owen Evans save to deny Idris El Mizouni an Orient winner.
Walsall boss Michael Flynn said: “I thought we were brilliant first half but the second half I’ll always give credit where it’s due – they were really good, pinned us back.
“But I’m more disappointed in the way we handled the football. We didn’t look after the ball enough and our clearances just invited more pressure.
“Give them credit, they are top of the league, probably six or seven wins away from going up now. I think it might work out as a good point for both.
“Obviously we are disappointed because we’ve led for so long but they are a very good team and if they don’t go up I’ll be very surprised.”
Walsall had forward Conor Wilkinson stretchered off late on with a possible recurrence of a knee ligament injury.
“It’s the same knee – if Conor has done it again, that would be four cruciate ligament injuries we’ve had, which is unheard of,” added Flynn.
“We just cannot get a full squad out on the pitch all at the same time at the minute.”
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