Richie Wellens salutes Orient goal-scores after thumping win over Doncaster

Leyton Orient head coach Richie Wellens hailed hat-trick hero Dom Ballard and fellow goal-scorer Aaron Connolly following their 4-0 demolition of Doncaster.

The duo combined to condemn Rovers to a sixth straight League One game without a win and earn Wellens the biggest home win of his tenure at Brisbane Road.

He said: “Aaron was outstanding, he’s got magic in his boots. He’s a brilliant dribbler, he can run at full speed and he has his little touches.

“He keeps his feet on the ground and he’s getting the rewards.

“Dom I’m really pleased with. He’s another young player that, while we’ve not taken a chance on him, his record wasn’t great before he came to us.

“Again, if he keeps his feet on the floor and keeps working as hard as he can, like he’s doing, he can be a really good player.

“We’ve been outstanding for three to four games now and we weren’t getting the rewards we deserved.

“So somebody was going to take a beating and we could have scored a lot more goals.”

Orient went ahead after just a minute when Ballard picked off a loose ball from Connor O’Riordan, advanced on goal and slotted home past Ian Lawlor.

Connolly found space after 27 minutes following a one-two with Charlie Wellens to drill a shot into the bottom right corner from outside the area.

Ballard killed the game off three minutes after the break by rounding Lawlor following a Killian Cahill goal-kick.

Cahill turned a close-range Billy Sharp effort over the bar after 54 minutes, but Orient got a deserved fourth in the 72nd minute when Ballard netted his third after a low Connolly cross.

Doncaster manager Grant McCann accepted the blame for their defeat but urged his squad to take inspiration from Billy Sharp.

He said: “Billy Sharp was outstanding today. I don’t see how our players can’t see a 39-year old run around like he did today.

“In the second half the Orient players couldn’t handle him, his movement and runs, and his enthusiasm for the game. But our players don’t seem to want to learn off him.

“I’m probably disappointed more with myself more than anything, that performance was down to me.

“We don’t give ourselves a chance when we go a goal down one minute into the game. We didn’t get it right today.

“The team wasn’t right, the subs weren’t right, and we ultimately got what we deserved really.”