Leyton Orient head coach Ross Embleton insists it’s now a big week of preparation as they approach a Carabao Cup clash at Forest Green Rovers.
The O’s will make the long trip to The New Lawn Stadium on Saturday for the first round clash as they return to competitive football following a number of behind closed doors pre-season friendlies.
They sealed a 1-0 victory over League One outfit Gillingham at the Breyer Group Stadium on Saturday thanks to an 89th-minute goal from Danny Johnson.
“I think there are some headaches to take into consideration for next Saturday,” Embleton told the club website.
“I think what’s important is to not get excited because we won. It’s nice, and part of what we set out to do in all of our friendlies, but it would be naïve of me to sit here and say it’s all fantastic because we won a game of football and it was all horrendous when we lost to West Ham (U23s) the other night.
“For me it’s about prioritising what the performance was like. The biggest thing is that we came through it with no injuries, albeit the bad tackle on Josh Wright. He is suffering a bruised knee but on the whole everyone has come through 90 minutes of football.
“I’m pleased to win, yes there was a lot of positives to take out of it, but we have to put it into perspective.”
The boss heaped praise on striker Johnson, adding: “Last week we got a good 90 minutes in at Northampton Town, which I felt was like our first proper game in terms of something similar to what the league season is going to look like, and we felt similar about today (Saturday).
“We needed to manage Conor (Wilkinson) and Lee Angol’s minutes, but on the whole I was really pleased for the ones that stayed out there and looked strong.
“We know that Dan is going to be relentless with his work ethic and he gives us so much as a threat when we’re under a little bit of pressure so we can get the ball up to him and he will work.
“The one habit that Danny has had through his career is that he wants to put the ball in the back of the net – as crazy as that sounds about a striker.
“He maybe had one half chance in the game and he lifted it over the goalkeeper.”
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