O's enjoying 'fruits of their labour' - Wellens

Leyton Orient have won four games in a row for the first time this season [Shutterstock Editorial] Leyton Orient's January transfer activity is beginning to pay off, according to boss Richie Wellens, after a fourth straight win lifted them further away from the League One relegation zone. Wellens' side were floundering in the bottom four earlier this month but have now strung together a four-match winning streak – their best this season – to climb to 16th , six points above 21st-placed Blackpool with a game in hand. The O's signed five players just before the transfer deadline – goalkeepers Will Dennis and Tobi Oluwayemi, left-back James Morris, midfielder Dylan Levitt and Stoke winger Favour Fawunmi on loan.

"I felt the players we'd brought in were different to the ones we'd lost and I enjoy working with them," Wellens told BBC Radio London following Saturday's 2-0 victory at home to Wycombe. "They're coachable and they want to learn. Sometimes when you get a group of players at the end of January, you work, work, work but it doesn't happen straight away.

"You get the fruits of your labour further down the line. That's always happened – it takes time for them to get going. " The Orient manager believes his players, who will be aiming to extend their winning streak away to Exeter next weekend, have also reaped the benefits of a recent change of pitch at their Chigwell training base.

"About two weeks ago, we moved back to our original training pitch which is in better condition," Wellens added. "The players walk out and enjoy training on a surface that should be what a good League One club has. "So the training ground's made a difference because it's zippy and it's sharp and we can actually coach them the way we want to play.