Richie Wellens hails Leyton Orient’s ‘promotion form’ after win over Carlisle

Posted Sunday, October 15, 2023 by PA

Manager Richie Wellens feels Leyton Orient’s recent results are promotion material – even if he is reluctant to study the league table.

The Os jumped to 10th in League One with victory at Brunton Park courtesy of Ruel Sotiriou’s 21st-minute goal from Joe Pigott’s assist.

“The players are growing in confidence at this level,” said Wellens, whose side began life in the third tier with defeats to Charlton, Portsmouth and Wycombe.

“We played Charlton away in front of 20,000, who are a big club at this level, but it was a 50-50 game that went against us,” he explained.

“We lost a tough game at home to Portsmouth, who are running away with the division.

“And we played Wycombe away, battered them but had a man sent off after 50 minutes and lost 3-2.

“So, I am pleased with our last nine games because our points return has been promotion form.

“We have got 17 points and it could have been 20 from 10 games with the (abandoned) game at Lincoln.

“But I am not even going to look at the table because it is forever changing. However, I do think in the next six or seven games it will take more shape.”

Orient could have been out of sight by half-time, with Idris El Mizouni hitting the crossbar and Blues keeper Tomas Holy denying Dan Happe and Sotiriou.

In the end though, Carlisle might have claimed a late point as substitute Terry Ablade struck a post.

“We should probably easily have been two or three up,” said Wellens. “In the end the game became about long balls, set-plays conceding free-kicks.

“Carlisle turned it into the game they wanted. But it is a good win because it is a tough place to come and they are a tough team to play against.”

The Cumbrians were a shadow of the side that stunned Bolton the previous weekend. And last season’s play-off winners sit one place and three points above the drop zone.

“We can’t go into any game in this league, or any league, starting like we did,” said manager Paul Simpson.

“We have gone from such a level last week and had an opportunity to repeat that level of performance in front of our own supporters and we let ourselves down.

“That is the big disappointment because second half we had a go and were more positive in our passing and running.

“It shows there is a level of inconsistency in the group. That’s not me being brutal; it’s me being honest.

“We had a level of consistency last season that was good enough to get us into the play-offs. We have now stepped up and we haven’t got that level of consistency.”