Justin Edinburgh’s number two reflected on a spell just before half time of O’s clash with Barnet

Leyton Orient assistant manager Ross Embleton talked up the importance of a patient period of play following Saturday’s National League win over Barnet.

Goals from Josh Coulson, James Dayton and Macauley Bonne inspired the O’s to a 3-1 derby victory over their London rivals.

It made it 11 games unbeaten for Orient, who once again finished strongly – scoring twice in the final 22 minutes at E10 last weekend.

When reflecting on the game, Justin Edinburgh’s number two highlighted a crucial spell before the end of the opening 45.

Embleton noted: “When games go like they did in the first half, where the opposition have everyone in their half trying to prevent space for us to play through with 10 minutes to go, we have to be patient and keep working with the ball.

“Sometimes people will look at it and say it is too slow or we haven’t got the ball forward quick enough, but there is 21 players in the opposition’s half of the pitch, so it is hard to find spaces.

“But if you work the ball how we did in the first half, you don’t immediately see the benefit in terms of chances, but you do in the last 20 minutes because not only are the opposition worn out some more, we also feel fresh and we can keep going.”

Another thing which turned the game in Orient’s favour was the cameo of forward James Alabi, who made himself a nuisance after coming on in the 61st minute.

“I am pleased with James and for him because if a striker doesn’t get a goal or if it doesn’t go well for them in the early part of the season then people do cast question marks and it is natural,” Embleton said.

“But I am happy to see him come on, work hard and change the momentum of the game because he really pushed them back and gave them something to think about.

“He bashed them about and it gave us the opportunity to get our players involved in the final third of the pitch.”