Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens says Harrogate Town deserve credit for Easter Monday fightback

The Sulphurites netted twice in the space of three second-half minutes to earn themselves a 2-2 draw, cutting the runaway League Two leaders’ advantage at the summit to eight points in the process.

And although frustrated to see his side denied what would have been a 15th victory in 21 home outings this term having produced a first-half display of total dominance, the O’s boss had only positive things to say about Simon Weaver’s men.

“We had time to get the third [goal], we looked threatening every time we got the ball and played some fantastic stuff, but the game can always change,” Wellens reflected.

"We conceded at a bad time and it gave them a life-line but I just think that some of our players dropped off it, became lethargic and slow.

"I’m down, when you go 2-0 up at home and it is total domination, to drop points puts a massive downer on things, but you have to give Harrogate credit.

"You have to give them credit, they are plucky, they’ve got lads who are fighting for their livelihoods and fighting for their club and they represented their club really well today.

"They ran hard and stayed in the game and when they got those couple of opportunities they took them, and they actually had one after that as well.”

Ruel Sotiriou’s first-half brace had put Orient in control, however Anthony O’Connor got on the end of a 54th-minute George Thomson free-kick to reduce the deficit.

Thomson then cracked home a sweetly-struck effort from inside the box to restore parity after the home side failed to clear Warren Burrell’s cross from the left.

Monday’s result sees Town drop one place to 21st in the League Two standings, though they remain three points clear of the relegation zone and still hold a game in hand on all of the sides beneath them.