Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens was in bullish mood after his side came away from Wigan Athletic with a victory, telling BBC London that the O's could have added to their tally on the night.
Wellens wants more from his side
Speaking to presenter Dave Victor in the immediate aftermath of the League One fixture, Wellens did not shy away from the obvious satisfaction of collecting three points on the road. But the Orient manager insisted the scoreline did not tell the full story of what his team produced.
"We could have had more," Wellens said, underlining a belief that the performance merited a greater reward than the final margin suggested.
That kind of ambition from the dugout will encourage Orient supporters. Winning away from home in the third tier is never straightforward, and collecting three points at Wigan, a club with genuine quality in their squad, carries weight at any stage of a season.
A statement result on the road
Wigan had headed into the match having already been flagged by their own manager, Ben Caldwell, as being "too easy to play against" in their opening League One fixture. Orient punished that vulnerability and made the most of a Wigan side still clearly working to find consistency.
For the O's, the victory continues what looks like a purposeful start to the campaign. Travelling to one of the third tier's more established clubs and emerging with maximum points is exactly the sort of result that builds confidence and momentum across a squad.
Wellens' assessment that his team could have been more clinical only adds to the sense that Orient are operating with a clear identity and the capacity to hurt opponents through the full ninety minutes, not just in patches.
The wider picture for both clubs
Wigan will need to respond. Caldwell acknowledged concerns about his side's openness after the opening weekend, and back-to-back home defeats would sharpen those questions considerably. The squad, bolstered by summer arrivals including loanees from Fulham and Manchester City, has the talent to turn performances around, but results are what matters once the league programme is under way.
Orient, meanwhile, will look to carry this form into their next fixture. Wellens striking an unapologetically ambitious tone in the post-match interview is a signal that a single win will not satisfy him. The aim, clearly, is to be competitive across every game, not just to collect points when the opportunity arises.
For League One watchers, this result is an early indicator that Orient intend to push hard in the third tier. Whether that translates into a sustained promotion challenge will become clearer over the coming weeks, but beating Wigan away from home is a credible opening statement.
Wigan host the aftermath of this setback on their own training ground, where pre-season work on data and structure was well documented. Turning that preparation into results now becomes the priority for Caldwell and his players.
Frequently asked
- What was the result of Wigan vs Leyton Orient in League One?
- Leyton Orient beat Wigan Athletic away from home in a League One fixture, with manager Richie Wellens saying his side could have scored even more on the night.
- What did Richie Wellens say after Orient's win at Wigan?
- Speaking to BBC London after the match, Wellens said Orient 'could have had more', suggesting his side deserved a bigger winning margin based on their performance.
- How are Leyton Orient doing in League One this season?
- Orient have made a positive start, picking up a notable away win at Wigan Athletic, with manager Richie Wellens indicating the team is performing above the scoreline.