Harrogate Town v Leyton Orient: Sulphurites need points as well as performances to get themselves out of 'mess' they're in

Currently hovering just one point above the League Two relegation zone in 21st position, the Sulphurites entertain top-of-the-table Leyton Orient on Saturday afternoon (3pm).

Simon Weaver's team will head into what looks on paper their toughest test of the season to date in reasonably confident frame of mind having delivered a number of strong displays of late.

They have undoubtedly played some good passing football against Tranmere Rovers, AFC Wimbledon, Bradford City and Carlisle United in recent weeks, however their only win came in the FA Cup against the Bantams, and Burrell has warned that positive displays need to be converted into points on the board.

"The good form is performance-wise, not results," the 32-year-old said, speaking after Town conceded deep in stoppage-time to draw 3-3 with Carlise on Tuesday.

"We're disappointed with the draw in midweek, we felt like we deserved three [points] but we let it slip at the end and we have got to address that. We've got to be more solid, more confident towards the end of the games and try to turn them into wins.

"It was a good performance, we controlled the game for large spells, but a disappointing result. I thought that we deserved a lot more and we've got to put it right at the weekend.

"The last month or so, the unit has been a lot more together. Obviously there are a lot of new faces, a lot came in over the summer, but we are all bonding on and off the pitch a lot more now. We've got a structure which we are sticking to and it's working through our games, but we've got to translate that into results.

"We all know, looking at the league table, it's not lying at the minute. We are down there for a reason. We know what we've got to do, we know our philosophy, we know we've got to dig in for each other to get ourselves out of this mess we are in."

Having looked reasonably solid at the back during the early months of the season while struggling for goals, Town seem to have rediscovered their scoring touch, but are now conceding a worrying amount.

They did manage a clean-sheet during last weekend's FA Cup first-round success over local rivals Bradford, however their defence has been breached three times in each of their previous three league outings.

And the versatile Burrell, who has been deployed as a centre-half of late following a stint in midfield, admits that Harrogate have to tighten up.

He added: “The performances have been good for the last three games, we're getting on the ball and dominating games possession-wise, territory-wise, but it's keeping them out at the other end now.

“We have got to be a lot more solid as a team. The defensive unit, we've got to take it upon ourselves to keep clean-sheets.

“We are putting the ball in the net, which is good, we are creating chances, so we need to get ourselves out of this mess we are in in the league, if we are all honest.”