Orient full of East End promise

By Mark Mitchener

I'm enjoying playing with Adam Boyd, we work well together Wayne Gray

Wayne Gray hopes Leyton Orient can keep up their impressive early form which has seen them top League One by three points after five games of the season.

"We've made a good start, and if we can continue with that, I'll be happy," the 26-year-old striker told BBC Sport.

"It's about getting as many points on the board as quickly as possible.

"But I'm not worrying about anyone behind us - I'm just worrying about our next game and hopefully beating the next team we come up against."

Gray moved to Brisbane Road from League One rivals Yeovil in the summer for an undisclosed five-figure fee.

606: DEBATE Orient have the basis of a very good team, but the strength in depth is a potential problem Kennedy

He has already linked up well with strike partner Adam Boyd, who joined from Luton a week after Gray's arrival and has already found the net four times to Gray's once.

Boyd also enjoyed a slice of fortune in Saturday's 1-0 home win against Bournemouth, when he grabbed the only goal on 71 minutes - with boss Martin Ling having already handed the sheet of paper to the fourth official to substitute him.

"Luckily, the manager kept Adam on for one more minute and he got the goal," Gray added.

"The partnership is going really well - we've got different attributes, but we work well together.

ORIENT'S REVOLVING DOOR In: Adam Boyd (Luton), Charlie Daniels (Tottenham), Wayne Gray & Paul Terry (both Yeovil), JJ Melligan & Tamika Mkandawire (both Cheltenham), Stuart Nelson (Brentford), Sam Oji (Birmingham, loan), Stephen Purches (Bournemouth), Sean Thornton (Doncaster) Out: Gary Alexander (Millwall), Donny Barnard (Grays), Derek Duncan (Wycombe), Craig Easton (Swindon), Glynn Garner (Shrewsbury), Luke Guttridge (Colchester), Matt Lockwood (Nottm Forest), John Mackie (Brentford), Justin Miller & Shane Tudor (both Port Vale), Phil Mulryne (released), Adam Tann (Notts County)

"I enjoy playing with him - hopefully I can get a few more goals myself and catch up with him, but it's all about the team."

Ling has had to almost completely revamp his team this summer - with 12 players leaving and 10 arriving.

Several players were released after last season's successful escape from relegation trouble, while several more declined the offer of new contracts and long-serving club captain Matt Lockwood was sold to Nottingham Forest.

As well as Gray and Boyd, other new arrivals include ex-Sunderland midfielder Sean Thornton and former Brentford keeper Stuart Nelson.

But former Wimbledon trainee Gray, who had a loan spell at Orient in 2001/02, is pleased to have returned to his London roots - after three successful seasons with Southend and Yeovil.

"London's where I'm from, I love playing here and I'm happy to be here," he said.

Everybody wants to start with a flier - and we've got off to a flier Wayne Gray

"In the last three years, I've had two promotions and a play-off final, so I've been quite successful and hopefully I can bring some of that spirit here."

The East London side may not have the glamour or history of Nottingham Forest, who have taken just three points from their first four games - or Leeds, who have wiped out their 15-point deduction with five straight wins and may soon be steering their way up the table.

But Gray explained: "It's quite similar here to Southend and Yeovil.

"If everyone backs each other up and works together, it's the togetherness that makes it all happen.

"I'm one of the new guys, but if you can gel together like we have, you never know what can happen.

"Everybody wants to start with a flier - and we've got off to a flier, but we just want it to continue and see how far we can take it."