Young Orient attacker backed to keep improving after his attitude is hailed by current team mate
Scott Kashket scored the first professional goal of his career on Saturday and Leyton Orient team mate Connor Essam has backed the 19-year-old attacker to have a big future in the game.
Ian Hendon introduced Kashket with 11 minutes of normal time remaining at Brisbane Road with the O’s trailing Oxford United 2-1.
And in the first minute of stoppage time, the youngster rewarded the faith shown in him by firing a low effort past Yellows goalkeeper Sam Slocombe and in off the post to earn a point for the hosts.
It was a great moment for Kashket and he was praised by one of his team mates after the thrilling 2-2 draw at Brisbane Road.
Essam said: “I am really pleased for Scott and all the lads are because it is nice to see the youngsters coming through.
“He works hard in training and is always there practising his finishing so it is nice to see him get that goal and he throughly deserves it. Hopefully there are a lot more where that come from.”
Kashket has been given plenty of opportunities by Hendon this season and it shows that his faith in youth is being justified.
The former Wingate & Finchley man signed a two-year professional contract with the O’s in the summer of 2014, but only made three appearances last season.
He made his debut under the management of Mauro Milanese on October 28 of 2014, coming on deep into injury time during the 2-0 loss to Preston North End at Brisbane Road and made two more cameo appearances.
The second in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy against Northampton Town in November before coming on at Gillingham in the same competition back in December of last year.
Unfortunately Milanese left his role as manager after the 1-0 loss to the Gills on December 6 and Kashket didn’t feature at all during Fabio Liverani’s tenure.
But Hendon’s appointment in the summer has seen all the youth at the club given an opportunity and Kashket has impressed.
He looked a constant threat throughout pre-season and scored in victorious at Colchester United, Woking and Bishop’s Stortford to show his ability.
The youngster made his first start for the club against MK Dons in the Capital One Cup and played the full 90 minutes against Luton Town in the JPT on September 1.
In both appearances he showed he is more than capable of performing at this level and did the same again on Saturday.
Essam admitted he doesn’t enjoy playing against Kashket in training, adding: “He is a really good player and very talented too.
“He is really hard to play against, he is so small, gets in and around you and is just one of them difficult players. Like I said, he works hard at training and I am really pleased for him.”
With Paul McCallum potentially set to miss the rest of the season through injury, Kashket has demonstrated to Hendon that he can be Orient’s fourth choice forward this year.
He didn’t get any more minutes on Tuesday night when the O’s travelled to face Luton Town and drew 1-1 at Kenilworth Road.
But with a trip to Morecambe coming up on Saturday as well, the east Londoners always knew they would need to use the majority of their squad for this period of matches in a short space of time.
At least now they know if they do need somebody to come off the bench to get a goal, Kashket is capable of delivering.
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