Full back welcomes Nicky Hunt’s arrival to increase competition for places

Leyton Orient defender Sean Clohessy was frustrated they couldn’t continue their momentum against Cambridge United last weekend.

The O’s went into the match following back-to-back victories under new player-manager Kevin Nolan.

But two goals from Ben Williamson and another from Jimmy Spencer, minutes after Armand Gnanduillet had pulled one back for Orient, ensured the U’s took the points back up the M11.

It left the east Londoners disappointed as they dropped to ninth in the table, when another success would have taken them up to fifth.

Clohessy said: “We wanted to go on a run, once you start one you start looking up and if we had won against Cambridge we would have gone a couple of places up.

“Teams would have been looking at us and thinking they are on a roll, but now other sides around us have picked up victories and we are the ones that have dropped a few positions.

“It is frustrating but there is still a long way to go and if we start putting another couple of results together, it looks good again.

“We have big games coming up now against the likes of Portsmouth and Northampton, they are big, tough matches and we need to take points off them.”

Clohessy has virtually been a regular all season - firstly under Ian Hendon and now since Nolan has taken over.

But Orient signed experienced right-back Nicky Hunt yesterday (Monday) to increase the competition for places.

The former Southend United full back welcomes the addition, though, despite it putting pressure on him to keep performing.

Clohessy: “The gaffer told me when he first came in that he wants two players for every position and you understand that.

“If you are performing you are going to stay in the team and if you don’t, you don’t deserve to be selected.

“Nicky is obviously a good addition and can play across the back four. It is competition for everyone and you want that because it helps you keep your position.”

Orient have strength in numbers across the pitch now, which for the time being seems like a good thing.