Tottenham Hotspur starlet Jamie Donley has spoken out following a man-of-the-match performance for League One side Leyton Orient at the weekend, which saw The O’s win 0-4 away at high-flying Barnsley.
Donley arrived at Oakwell having put in some positive performances in recent times as an attacking midfielder, but yet to register a goal contribution for the East London outfit. He left with his first professional goal and two assists as well as a very mature performance from such a young player in challenging conditions in South Yorkshire.
Speaking to club media after the game, Donley highlighted the importance of the victory in such unorthodox conditions, and also joked that he was happy to be on the same amount of goals as fellow Spurs loanee Josh Keeley, with the goalkeeper famously getting himself on the scoresheet last month:
“ It was a great day, conditions were tough I am delighted to have got my first league goal and Josh (Keeley) has been heckling me that he’s got more goals than me so we are on the same now and hopefully I can get more than him!”
“ We had some nice passages of play, from the corner I was just free at the back post and luckily the keeper just carried it into the back of the goal for me”
The O’s have now risen up to 15th in the division and are six points off both the play-offs and the relegation zone, they are also on a sparkling run of just one defeat in their last 11 matches, and are enjoying a current run of five clean sheets on the bounce.
But the teenager was keen to add that despite not registering an attacking goal contribution previously it was not something that affected him too much, and also highlighted how much he is really enjoying his loan spell with Richie Wellens’ side:
“It’s good to get off the mark, I don’t think about it too much I just focus on my game I’ve had a few games on the bounce now so hopefully that can give me some confidence.”
“It’s great being in men’s football and seeing what it’s like , everyone is doing really well at the minute and enjoying themselves, we have got two big home games now so hopefully we can carry on this form now and work our way up the table.”
Writers View
It’s clear to see that Jamie Donley is definitely enjoying his first stint in professional football and he will be desperately hoping to nail down a starting spot in the Orient 11 as we approach the halfway stage of the season, the injury to fullback Tom James will mean fellow attacking midfielder Ethan Galbraith will drop in right-back for the foreseeable future, leaving the number 10 position for someone like Donley to make his own.
A big next four games for Orient could see them surge up the table by the first week of 2025, as they entertain four sides who currently sit below them in the table.
