The O’s lost a three-goal lead at Bishop’s Stortford on Tuesday, but the attacker had a word of advice for the inexperienced players involved
Jordan Maguire-Drew believes Leyton Orient's younger players will become better for experiences like Tuesday night at Bishop's Stortford.
Ross Embleton's team played their seventh friendly of the summer and looked set for a comfortable win at half-time.
Lee Angol's brace and Maguire-Drew's penalty put them three goals ahead, but Blues fought back in the second half to draw 3-3 in front of 816 spectators.
Orient's back four included first-team regular Myles Judd, but also Michael Chambers (Trialist A) and teenagers Shadrach Ogie and Jayden Sweeney plus 19-year-old Arthur Janata in goal.
Maguire-Drew - who captained O's once Josh Wright went off - said: "They are very talented boys and they have big futures and it's good to play in games like this because they will learn a lot.
"They deserved to play and hopefully they can learn from the mistakes and it's alright to make mistakes because that's how you get better.
"I've had it as a young player, I've had to learn from tough situations and it has made me a better all-rounded player and it gives you the confidence to lead and control players how you want and control games, which is important throughout the season.
"You need not just one or two leaders, you need 11, so once they learn that they have all the attributes to be top, top defenders, which I think they will be in the future."
Ogie was set the challenge by interim head coach Embleton of preventing Stortford player-manager Jamie Cureton of scoring.
He failed, with the former Football League hitman netting from close range in the 61st minute, but coped well with the 43-year-old at times.
It was a good learning experience for Ogie, who is highly-rated by those at the club who have seen Dan Happe progress from academy hopeful to top prospect.
While Sweeney was trusted by late boss Justin Edinburgh in the FA Trophy last season, which show the level of regard he is thought of at Orient.
Although the League Two club let a three-goal lead slip in Hertfordshire, during the first half they produced some brilliant goals.
Maguire-Drew firstly found Angol from a short corner and the summer signed rifled home before the latter won a penalty, which the former converted.
It was 3-0 when Conor Wilkinson found his strike partner in the area and the number 19 eventually fired into the corner.
On the game, Maguire-Drew added: "We're very frustrated because I thought in the first half we played some good stuff and we were very clinical at times.
"We looked defensively strong and the game-plan worked and set-piece worked, so I was confident at half time.
"I was saying to the boys we have to stay on top of it and start right because if you drop off five to 10 per cent these things can happen - they do at all levels. It's a good lesson and I'm glad it's out the way so we can make sure it never happens again."
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