Richie Wellens pleased with Leyton Orient’s performance in win at Stevenage

Richie Wellens said Leyton Orient’s performance in the 2-1 win at Stevenage was the best he has seen in his visits to Broadhall Way.

Orient looked to be on course for a tough evening when Jamie Reid put the home side ahead after 22 minutes from the penalty spot.

But a Dom Ballard double either side of the break turned the contest on its head and moved the O’s out of the bottom four.

“It was a really good performance and that’s why I get frustrated sometimes, I know what they’re capable of,” said the Orient boss.

“I’ve been here probably a dozen times with more experienced teams and more established teams. I keep saying this every week but this is a brand-new group.

“The year we won the league, we got beat and we were a really good football team.

“But this is the best performance I’ve ever seen here. You know what you’re going to get. It’s going to be difficult and they make it really difficult for you.

“But I thought we played well and the first goal is an outstanding goal.

“And I thought in the other parts of the game, we controlled it.”

There was natural praise for the match-winning hero, who could have had more than his brace.

“[Ballard] missed the easiest one in the first half but I was really happy with the way we played,” said Wellens.

“When we landed on it, sometimes we didn’t take risks and sometimes, if you get too many passes in, teams get banked up and it can be not to Dom’s strength.

“But I thought when we landed on it, we hooked it, we got it round and Dom was always on the shoulders.

“He could have had a few more but he was electric at times.”

For Boro, it was a case of what might have been. They were inside the top six while they were in front but finished the evening still a point outside.

Manager Alex Revell said: “In a game when we know what’s at stake, I felt we lacked any real quality. We lacked the energy and intensity that we are based around.

“And we didn’t show enough bravery and courage to play our way.

“After going 1-0 up, we just kept doing the same things without having the same impact on games that we’ve had recently.

“When you’re winning games, you want to keep the team and the momentum building, and maybe it was the wrong decision (to keep the same team).

“But when you’re not at your best, then you don’t win football games.”