Former Crystal Palace defender reflects on Accrington defeat and getting another victory at Brisbane Road

Peter Ramage has backed Leyton Orient’s attackers to hit the right notes against Hartlepool United tomorrow (Monday).

The 32-year-old, on-loan from League One side Coventry City, played his second match for the O’s on Good Friday.

After helping them beat Morecambe 1-0 on his debut, he wasn’t able to back it up with another win as they lost by the odd goal to Accrington Stanley.

It boosted Stanley’s hopes of automatic promotion and means the east Londoners have scored just twice in their last four fixtures.

But the former Crystal Palace defender is backing his team mates to put that right at Brisbane Road on Easter Monday.

“We’ve got to try and shut Hartlepool out at the back and nick a goal. You never know with the attacking players we’ve got,” said Ramage.

“If we get one we could possibly go on and get two or three because we have that much quality in the squad.

“To be honest I would take one like we got against Morecambe. An own goal and a 1-0 win, it really wouldn’t bother me as long as we get three points. If we win 4-3, I don’t care because it is about getting results.

“Of course I’d love a clean sheet, it is an obviously statement, but it is about getting victories on the board and giving yourself as much of an opportunity as possible to get up there for the end of the season.”

The O’s clash at Stanley was arguably the toughest fixture they’ll play between now and the end of the campaign.

Although they host Plymouth Argyle at Brisbane Road and visit AFC Wimbledon, Good Friday’s match always appeared a difficult one.

But Ramage insists games against the likes of Hartlepool and York City as well as Dagenham & Redbridge and Yeovil Town won’t be easy.

He added: “Teams down the bottom are fighting for their lives to stay in the Football League, which can possibly be even harder.

“There is a lot more at stake for them than teams going up for automatic promotion. It will be tough no matter who we play because everyone is fighting for personal reasons and also contracts.

“Everybody will try to do well from an individual point of view and obviously teams will be fighting as well to finish the season as strong as possible so we need to fight that little bit harder.”