Brisbane Road boss reflects on 3-2 triumph at Newport County and discusses future of Shane Lowry

East London Advertiser: Shane Lowry (far left) heads home for Birmingham against Kidderminster (pic: Joe Giddens/EMPICS)Shane Lowry (far left) heads home for Birmingham against Kidderminster (pic: Joe Giddens/EMPICS) (Image: EMPICS Sport)

Leyton Orient head coach Ian Hendon is pleased his side are starting to develop a winning habit even if they did make hard work of getting a fourth victory of the season at Newport County.

Paul McCallum and Jay Simpson scored inside the opening seven minutes in South Wales and it seemed for a while like the O’s would cruise to another success.

But Terry Butcher’s team rallied towards the end of the first half and surprisingly got back on level terms before the break.

Dean Cox popped up with a goal in the 59th minute, however, and it would turn out to be the winner as Orient held on once more.

It means Ian Hendon’s team are top of the League Two standing with 12 points from four games.

The O’s boss is delighted with the start they have made, but admitted Newport deserved a draw from the game at Rodney Parade.

Hendon said: “The start has been fantastic. Winning is a good habit to get into and we did it today by hook or by crook.

“It has been a good start and I keep saying that, but we are four games into a 46 game season so onto the next one.

“Newport made it difficult and credit to them. Did we deserve to win? I would probably say no.

“They were more than worthy of a point so that is something we have to look at and look at our performance. To come away from home, we know they are going to be battles on the road, but we dug in and got the three points.”

The Orient head coach also revealed that Shane Lowry has been training with the squad despite his agent seeking to help the defender earn a move away from Brisbane Road.

Although the former Millwall man has endured a troubled pre-season, failing to earn a contract with Championship side Birmingham City, he could come back into Hendon’s plans.

If the 26-year-old doesn’t depart E10 before the end of the transfer window, he could have an opportunity to salvage his career with the O’s.

“Well Shane has got pretty much until the end of the week, the 31st and if he hasn’t got anything he is our player,” added Hendon.

“I have said all along I haven’t got a problem with Shane, his agent has made a decision and Shane, if I put him in the squad, would happily join in, but it wouldn’t be fair to do that with the other players that are playing.

“Shane is training. He has been training the whole time. We will have to wait and see what happens. Possibly something might be happening over the weekend, but I know as much as anybody else.”