Leyton Orient head coach Ross Embleton believes his side were professional and devastating when attacking as they sealed a 3-0 victory over Harrogate Town.
A hat-trick from striker Danny Johnson sealed the three points for the O’s and helped them bounce back to winning ways after four defeats in all competitions.
That victory moves them up to 11th in League Two and just two points off the play-off places.
“I thought we were professional. Our message to the boys before was that we know what it is going to look like, we know Harrogate like to play direct and make it scruffy, I mean that in the nicest possible way in terms of making it difficult to play against them,” Embleton said.
“We had to understand that was going to happen, respect it, but go beyond it, compete and try getting the game on our terms.
“We were very solid defensively and were quite devastating on the counter attack.”
It was the first time an Orient player has scored a hat-trick at Brisbane Road since 2007 and the boss praised Johnson for his impact on the game.
“It was an Ingenius piece of management leaving him out last week,” he chuckled. “It’s important I acknowledge it as people don’t get my reasons or rationale but I had them.
“Dan and I had a conversation, and when you make decisions like that and you don’t win you’re wrong – you may have the rationale but if it doesn’t come off then you’re wrong and I accept that.
“Danny understood why, he was disappointed, but he has come out today (Saturday) and done what you hope any striker or any player would do in terms of showing what he is all about.
“He’s our top goal scorer, I don’t think I would have forgiven myself if I had put him out last week with a grey area in mind and he got injured, and at the same time it was important to give other people opportunities.
“His hat-trick today (Saturday) was unbelievable, the first one he waits and slides it into the corner, which has become a Danny Johnson finish.
“The second one was unbelievable to hit that one while he’s on the run and I’m delighted after some work on the training ground this week that we score from a set-piece.”
Embleton also praise Conor Wilkinson by saying: “I thought Conor’s start to the game was fantastic, there is little moments in his game where if he accept doing the simple tidy things gives him such a platform to be the match winner that he can be.
“He won near on every header in the first-half.”
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