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It's coming together

Simon Smedley
17/ 9/2008

COUNTY turned in a highly effective, thoroughly professional performance at Leyton Orient on Saturday, and boss Jim Gannon was unsurprisingly delighted after his team cruised to a 3-0 win.

Gannon again saluted whizz-kid Tommy Rowe after he had buried another special goal - his third in the league this season - and also singled out Michael Raynes as his man-of-the-match, but it was another ‘big’ overall performance that pleased the Hatters’ gaffer.

Gannon said: "I was really impressed with our professionalism today. Orient are a good side and they didn’t play badly, but we punished them at setplays which we haven’t done in previous games so far this season.

"We’ve been working hard on setplays during the last 11 days, and it’s counted for us. If you get good delivery and players attack the ball, it will work.

"It’s great to have eight points now, and although it’s still early days yet, this result justifies the system we’re utilising and the manner in which we play football.

"We’ve not set any standards, all we want is to get into this level and adapt to it, but a lot of things are coming together individually and collectively.

"I’m really pleased. Hopefully over the course of the season we’ll continue to improve. If that means we get a lot of points that’s great, but we are going to have some difficult periods too.

"It’s a good result and a good performance though.

"A lot of the boys put in a big shift, but it’s about recovery now.

"Hopefully we can get that and get another performance against Northampton on Tuesday."

Gannon was also keen to salute the loyal County travelling army on Saturday. They numbered almost 500 and each and every one of them will have headed back up North with big smiles.

The County boss added: "I’m really pleased for the fans. They are getting good value for money from our away trips at the moment though.

"I think that’s just one defeat in 15 now [and an amazing 16 undefeated in the golden away shirt].

"They’re all in great heart, we’re in great heart, and everyone is confident that we can get something from every away game.

"It was great to see so many down in London. I’ve said before they’re brilliant. They were again today."

It was a miserable day for Orient boss Martin Ling. He groaned: "This is the first time the opposition’s system has beaten our system, so we have to take our hats off to the opposition. I think the fundamentals of football are to win the second ball and pass it and move. They won second balls and passed it in the second half and we never did."