Orient forward talks about relationship with Jay Simpson and how it is improving

East London Advertiser: Leyton Orient forward Jay Simpson runs off after scoring against Oxford United (pic: Simon O'Connor).Leyton Orient forward Jay Simpson runs off after scoring against Oxford United (pic: Simon O'Connor). (Image: Simon O'Connor Photography)

Ollie Palmer was pleased to get on the scoresheet again for Leyton Orient on Saturday and believes his partnership with Jay Simpson is slowly getting better.

Simpson has stolen the limelight this season for the east Londoners with 11 goals already in the league.

While he has been in fine form the other forwards at the club have found reward in front of goal hard to come by with Palmer’s only previous strike for the O’s coming on August 18 against Stevenage.

But the 23-year-old scored a brace against Staines Town on Saturday to inspire a 6-1 win in the first round of the FA Cup.

The former Mansfield ace was pleased to hit the target and feels his partnership with Simpson is starting to improve.

“I think it might have taken a little bit of time, but you have seen on Saturday that me and Jay have linked up well,” said Palmer.

“I have helped him and got a couple of assists for his goals this season and it was nearly the same against Staines, but their goalkeeper has made a few saves.”

Simpson started the campaign alongside Paul McCallum until the latter suffered cruciate ligament damage on September 26.

That has seen Palmer take a starting role since and at times he has struggled to make the impact he was making off the bench.

Whenever called upon by Ian Hendon at the start of the season, the big forward would always be a handful for his opponents.

After a couple of disappointing performances, confidence appears to be back for Palmer and some luck too with the forward hitting the woodwork a number of times throughout October.

Now that he has found the net again, he is determined to take that goalscoring form into League Two, starting at Hartlepool United on Sunday (12.15pm).

“Of course a partnership doesn’t happen overnight and you have to start understanding each other and know where the other person is going to be,” added Palmer.

“On Saturday me and Jay were linking up a lot better and the key is the league now and we have to start doing it in the division.”

A win against the Monkey Hangers this weekend with Palmer on target would be encouraging.

Simpson has always insisted he hasn’t felt the pressure, despite scoring the majority of Orient’s goals this season, but the burden needs to be shared around.

Palmer even admitted himself that his goals against Staines had been a long time coming.

He praised the performance of his team-mates in the FA Cup triumph and believes it is a good confidence booster ahead of the trip to Hartlepool on Sunday.

“It was about time I got a couple of goals so it felt good to get them early on and probably helped settle the team a little bit,” he added.

“The gaffer wasn’t happy that we conceded a goal, but that is football and to come away with a 6-1 win is a clear result, so we have got to be happy with that.”