Orient ace, on-loan from Peterborough, discusses his goal at Globe Arena and their league position

Leyton Orient midfielder Jack Payne admitted his winning goal at Morecambe was a tackle and not deliberate, but wasn’t complaining about having some luck go his way.

The O’s had felt like they hadn’t got the rub of the green in recent matches as they have created several chances, but normally failed to make the most of them.

On Saturday they didn’t make as many opportunities as they had in previous games, but lady luck was shining on them for the winning goal.

It enabled Ian Hendon’s side to earn a seventh win of the campaign and although it doesn’t see them go up in the League Two standings, they are only two points off Portsmouth in second.

“I think it was a tackle, I’m not going to lie,” laughed Payne when asked about his winner at Globe Arena.

“I see the geezer go to clear it and I just threw myself at it and luckily it has gone off me foot at quite a pace and the goalkeeper couldn’t react in time.

“We have been lacking a bit of luck because we have had shots that have hit the post or been saved and ricocheted elsewhere but it has gone for us at Morecambe with the goal and we’ll take that all day long.”

Orient’s victory at the weekend was the first time they had tasted success on the road since beating Newport County on August 22.

In addition to that they also kept a clean sheet – the last time they did that was back on August 29 after beating Bristol Rovers at home.

All in all the O’s triumph at Morecambe was the perfect result and the midfielder on-loan from Peterborough was thrilled with it.

Payne added: “Clean sheets haven’t come too regularly and these are the top goalscorers in the league so we did well to keep a clean sheet and we can build on this now for next week.

“We stayed in the same place with the win, but the gaps have all gone now and it is only a point to third so we are right back up there again.

“We always knew we were going to be up there, everybody has a blip and we have had our already so hopefully we can kick on now.”

Orient come under some pressure late on and needed Alex Cisak to make two fine saves in the final 10 minutes of the match.

Payne was pleased they didn’t let their lead slip at the death, adding: “I think especially second half we knew it was going to be tough.

“We didn’t play as much and they had the wind and were bombing balls in but we stuck together and got the three points.”