Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens delighted with Demetri Mitchell’s display

Leyton Orient head coach Richie Wellens believes Demetri Mitchell deserves his run in his team as he contributed to a 2-0 win over 10-man Wycombe.

The 29-year old netted his first league goal of the season, with Idris El Mizouni wrapping up the points after Taylor Allen saw red.

Mitchell has started the last four games for the east London outfit, who have won their last four in a row, and Wellens was quick to praise his contribution and attitude.

He said: “When he goes on the outside, it excites people. It was good for him to get his goal and he’s fully deserved it.

“He’s admitted that he’s performed nowhere near his potential, but for me in the last four or five weeks and the three or four weeks in training, I kept saying to him that’s he’s training really well.

“In the friendlies we played he was tremendous and he deserved his opportunity.

“The sending-off probably gave our players too much thinking time, and Wycombe were brave – they kept two players up there.”

Allen was dismissed for fouling Dom Ballard as the last man after just nine minutes, forcing Andre Vidigal and Nathan Lowe to be substituted off in the 15th minute with Niall Huggins and Luke Harris their replacements.

It got even worse for the visitors three minutes later when goalkeeper Will Norris let a Mitchell shot through his fingers and into the net.

As Wycombe looked for an equaliser, Orient were holding firm and showed signs of doubling their lead in the second half.

Theo Archibald curled a shot outside the area just wide with 20 minutes remaining, while Daniel Harvie aimed his effort at Will Dennis in the 81st minute.

Substitute El Mizouni secured the victory for Orient in stoppage time fired home via a post and into the net.

Wycombe started the game two points adrift of the play-offs, and head coach Michael Duff admitted luck deserted his side.

“It’s a defeat and it’s a tough one to swallow – everything has gone against us today,” he admitted.

“All I’ve said to the players is for them to do what we’ve asked them to do, which they did. They ran their hearts out for each other.

“You can’t plan for individual errors, their goalkeeper has got man of the match. To play with 10 men for 85 minutes and that happens tells you something.

“I thought the players were brilliant today and I thought the supporters were as well. So yes, it’s a kick in the nether regions.

“It’s a red card, I’m not arguing with that. People are human beings, they make mistakes.”