The O’s winless run in the National League extended to 14 games after an abject display in Devon

Leyton Orient interim head coach Ross Embleton could not hide his disappointment after watching his team lose 3-0 at fellow strugglers Torquay United in the National League on Saturday.

The 36-year-old admitted he was hurt by the lack of fight and resolve which the O’s had demonstrated in their past two games with Chester (2-2) and Dover Athletic (1-1).

Orient fell behind after just 16 minutes when Craig Clay gave the ball away in midfield and Ruairi Keating crossed in for Josh McQuoid to tap home at the back post.

It was a similar story for the Gulls second with Zain Westbrooke misplacing a pass and Luke Young running at the O’s back four before firing past Charlie Grainger from 20-yards with half an hour played at Plainmoor.

Not even half time could provide Orient with a breather as Torquay made it 3-0 in the 47th minute when they broke from an away corner and Jamie Reid applied the finishing touch.

Embleton, when speaking to BBC London, said: “Yes the fight and resolve we’ve shown of late was missing and that hurts to be honest. It has been the big thing we’ve tried to focus on in the last couple of games.

“Of course, we have a tactical plan and we try to set out in a way to win a game, but the bare minimums are we impose ourselves on the game and match, if not outwork, the opposition in every way we can.

“Yes we’ve done that in the last two home games, but that was nowhere near acceptable against Torquay.”

Orient ended up finishing the game with 10-men too as Jake Caprice saw red in the 86th minute for a reckless tackle on Damon Lathrope.

As Embleton said, it was unacceptable from the O’s and despite missing top goalscorer Macauley Bonne, due to suspension, and James Brophy, after he was recalled from his loan by Swindon Town, they still should have put in a better display.

The defeat sees Orient stay 20th in the table ahead of facing bottom of the table Solihull Moors next Saturday.