Moses Odubajo holds off Lorenzo Davids on Saturday. Pic: Simon O'Connor

Young winger stars in Leyton Orient’s 1-0 win over Hartlepool United

Manager Russell Slade believes midfielder Moses Odubajo can become a star for Leyton Orient – but warned supporters not to expect too much too soon.

The 19-year-old winger set up the O’s only goal of the game, as they beat Hartlepool United 1-0 on Tuesday night, with Ryan Brunt heading in Odubajo’s pin-point right-wing cross on 47 minutes.

The Orient schoolboy impressed throughout on just his second league start of the season and received a standing ovation from the Brisbane Road crowd when substituted in second half stoppage time.

Orient’s win lifted them to 12th in the table and many will hope to see more of their home-grown star as the season continues.

But Slade warned he will continue to manage Odubajo’s playing time carefully in order to maximise the midfielder’s impact.

“Mo had a terrific game, he was really positive from the start,” said Slade.

“He took his man on early in the game and got a bit of joy, which helped him. It was a great performance.

“We’ve got to be careful with him. He’s improving on the training ground all the time and we’re dipping him in and out for him to develop.

“He’s made that breakthrough into the first team and he’s got nobody better than me to help him through that, because there’s so many young players making their debuts that I’ve had and I know how to deal with them.

“Hopefully he will go from strength to strength.”

Slade’s side’s win ended a run of back-to-back league defeats, but they will have been disappointed not to have added to Brunt’s third goal of the season.

Dean Cox, Jimmy Smith and Odubajo were all thwarted by spectacular saves from visiting goalkeeper Scott Flinders.

And Hartlepool nearly nicked a point late in the game, but Steve Howard’s header crashed back off the crossbar.

Despite the lack of goals, Slade was satisfied with Orient’s night’s work.

“I’m really delighted with the boys, the only thing we missed was three or four more goals, which we deserved,” he added.

“As an all-round team performance that’s as good as we’ve played.

“We’re up to 12th in the league and we’ve got to push on again. We’re doing ok. We always want a bit more, everybody connected with the club does, but we’re going in the right direction.

“We’re a difficult side to beat. If we could just be a little bit more ruthless in front of goal then who knows where we will go, because we don’t lack for creativity.”