Cook believes O’s can launch a promotion push

On-loan winger Lee Cook believes that Orient are in a false position and could mount a serious play-off challenge during the second half of the season.

The O’s have lost just two of their last 15 league games and Cook, who fired a first-half winner against Stevenage on Monday admitted: “Our league position is a bit false.

“I have not seen many teams better than us since I have been here. The only side I’d say that outplayed us was MK Dons.”

Orient’s recent good run has lifted them to 15th and they are just seven points off the top six – quite an achievement for a team that took just two points from their first nine games.

“We’re trying to climb the table and we’re quietly going about it in the right way,” said Cook.

“We’re looking upwards and the gaffer has installed that into us. He was saying we underachieved at the start of the season and had some really bad results.

“But he wants to finish like last season and try and get in the play-offs.”

After successive wins against promotion-chasing Charlton and Stevenage, O’s face a difficult trip to Carlisle at the weekend, but Cook believes Orient can go there and get a positive result.

“We are full of confidence, we have won four out of five and we will be going there looking to win the game. Wherever we go we are looking to win,” he said.

And the winger, currently on loan from Queens Park Rangers, believes Orient can take great comfort from Monday’s victory at Stevenage.

“They are sixth in the table, and you have got to look at that and think if they are sixth what can we achieve?” he said.

“We have got to try and get in the play-offs. It’s going to be difficult, but we will give it a go.

“We are over the moon with our last two wins and we have got to move on now at Carlisle and then at home to Chesterfield.

“We will be looking to get six points from those two games. The team is in good shape at the minute and full of confidence, so it’s onwards and upwards.”

Cook has three games left before his two-month loan spell is over, but he admits that he is in no hurry to leave Brisbane Road.

“I’m enjoying my football here, I’m really enjoying it and I’ll assess things on January 21 which is my last game here,” he said.

“I’ll sit down with the right people and see what the crack is, but all I can say is I’m really enjoying the football.

“They are a great set of lads and have a great gaffer. Who knows? If all parties give it the go ahead then maybe I can extend it, but we will have to wait and see.

“But we will sit down on January 21 assess what’s happening and take it from there.”