Steve Cook says "togetherness" will be the foundation of Wycombe Wanderers' recovery after a 3-2 win at Leyton Orient on Saturday lifted the Chairboys out of the League One relegation places and into 19th.

The victory, their first of the season and their first away from Adams Park since March, came under interim head coach Tom Hounsell, who took charge following Tuesday's dismissal of Michael Duff after a winless five-game start to the campaign.

For a side that arrived at Brisbane Road with very little to show from their early fixtures, the emotional nature of the win was not lost on Cook, who spoke to BBC Three Counties Radio in the immediate aftermath.

"We want to give the fans more to cheer about, rather than hear songs about not winning away," the defender said. "We want to turn that narrative around, and that's down to us on the pitch."

Cook drew an explicit line back to the Wycombe sides managed by Gareth Ainsworth, under whom the club punched well above its weight for several seasons.

"I know their history and I played under the manager to have the most success here, Gareth Ainsworth at QPR," Cook said. "This club enjoyed the success it did by that togetherness, that feel-good factor, that 'us against the world' mentality."

That philosophy was visible at full-time at Brisbane Road, with players and staff embracing supporters near the final whistle, a scene Cook described simply as "what this club is all about."

Context that matters

The start to the season has to be understood against a backdrop of considerable disruption. There has been significant squad and staff turnover since last term, when Wycombe were in contention for the play-offs before losing four of their final six fixtures and finishing 11th. The fallout from that collapse appeared to linger into pre-season, and the early results reflected a group still finding its footing.

Cook acknowledged that directly. "There's been a lot of change, player-wise and staff-wise, and a lot of outside noise. We've got to clear that, and be together in the dressing-room."

The search for a permanent head coach is ongoing, leaving the players in something of a holding pattern off the pitch. That kind of uncertainty can fracture a squad or, occasionally, galvanise it. Cook's reading is the latter.

"I really think this can be a successful season, and I know the fans will feel that too. But they need to see that belief on the pitch, and we're desperate to give them that," he said. "We're playing catch-up, simple as that. We've got a 40-game season now, with lots of twists and turns, but we're up for the challenge."

Attacking signs

Cook also pointed to what he sees as genuine attacking threat in the current squad. Wycombe signed Jayden Wareham from Exeter City earlier in the window, and the striker registered at Brisbane Road alongside Fred Onyedinma and Dan Harvey. Cook's mention of goals from that trio suggests Hounsell's interim spell has at least unlocked some of the forward play that was frustratingly absent in the opening weeks.

"With players like Fred, Jayden and Dan Harvey scoring goals now, we're definitely a threat," Cook said.

Whether Hounsell is the man to continue building on that, or whether the club moves quickly to appoint a permanent manager, remains to be seen. What Saturday demonstrated is that the squad has enough quality and character to compete in the third tier this season. Whether one win is the start of a run or merely a pause in the difficulties is the question Wycombe's supporters will be asking themselves heading into the coming weeks.

For now, at least, the Chairboys are out of the bottom four. It is a small mercy, but after the start they have had, Cook and his teammates appear to understand the weight of it.

Frequently asked

Where are Wycombe Wanderers in the League One table?
Following their 3-2 win at Leyton Orient, Wycombe climbed to 19th in the League One table, moving out of the relegation places.
Who is in charge of Wycombe Wanderers after Michael Duff was sacked?
Tom Hounsell took over as interim head coach after Duff was dismissed. The club is currently searching for a permanent replacement.
When was Wycombe's last away win before the Leyton Orient match?
According to Steve Cook, Wycombe had not won away from Adams Park since March, making the Brisbane Road result their first away victory in several months.