East Thurrock boss Coventry tipping O’s to have a ‘very good season’

Leyton Orient players applaud the travelling support at Gateshead (pic: Simon O'Connor). 07958 573219 simon.oconnor@virgin.net

The Rocks manager discussed Tuesday’s pre-season friendly and the development of former defender Marvin Ekpiteta

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East Thurrock United manager John Coventry believes Leyton Orient will have a very good season after watching them close up on Tuesday night.

The National League South club hosted the O’s at Rookery Hill and despite producing a hard-working display, they suffered a 4-0 loss to Justin Edinburgh’s team.

Macauley Bonne, David Mooney and Josh Koroma netted for Orient and the Rocks boss was impressed with their movement.

Coventry said: “I think we played against a very good side and I think Leyton Orient will have a very good season.

“They have a lot of quality players, their movement was very good and they are well ahead of us in terms of fitness and they always will be, but I had to look at our lot and if anything, I am disappointed.

“I think we made it easy for them in the sense we would constantly give them the ball. When we got it, I was thinking ‘can we keep it a while because we need to’ and we didn’t. We kept giving it away cheaply.”

The friendly encounter did allow O’s defender Marvin Ekpiteta to return to his old stomping ground.

He spent 12 months at East Thurrock before earning a move to Orient at the start of this year.

“Everyone loves Marvin here and myself included and it was great to see him and great to see him doing well,” said Coventry.

“It doesn’t surprise me to see him developing and I was talking to Justin about him before the game. I always knew if he got back into full-time football he would come on a lot because he wants to get better and do everything needed to improve.

“He will listen and full-time training and coaching at a good level means he will only continue to improve and I think he will go higher.”

Orient and East Thurrock have developed a decent relationship in recent times with the Essex club taking Michael Clark on loan during the 2016/17 season.

The O’s then signed Ekpiteta from the Rocks a year later and Coventry revealed he would happily give minutes to some of the east Londoners’ youngsters during the upcoming campaign.

With Orient having a number of talented teenagers on their books, don’t be surprised if one or two end up at the National League South club.

Coventry added: “I know Justin a little bit and I know Martin Ling and Martin said to me at the game just to let him know if there are any people we need.

“We can serve a purpose for these young players who will maybe sit on the bench or play under-23s football, so we might call upon it in the season.”