LEYTON Orient forward Paul McCallum spoke fondly of his new-found partnership with Jordan Bowery after they combined to positive effect in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Carlisle United.

The O’s have claimed a total of four points from long trips to Morecambe and Carlisle United in their last two matches and hope to carry that form into their home games.

McCallum didn’t get on the scoresheet at Globe Arena, but his goal at Brunton Park came after a neat pass from Bowery as the O’s look to rebuild relationships after the departure of Dean Cox.

“It is about time Jordan set me up. I’ve slipped him through quite a lot recently in the last two games,” McCallum joked.

“I’ve slipped him through early on in the first half and his touch was a bit baggy, but he’s repaid me with the goal. I’ve luckily, well not luckily, but skilfully scored.”

Bowery and McCallum have started the last three matches together and O’s have picked up two wins and one draw and scored eight times since they have featured.

The 23-year-old added: “Jordan does the side of the game that I don’t like to do and I do the side that he doesn’t like.

“I’ll fight and hold the ball up, win the headers and he’ll run down the channels and it works perfect as you can see because he scored last week and I’ve done it this time.

“So as long as we keep playing together, I think there are a lot of goals to come.”

McCallum and Bowery have scored four times between them in the past three games to improve O’s form after a 2-1 loss to Mansfield Town on August 27.

Orient’s first choice strikers deserve to reap the rewards as they have contributed in turning around the O’s fortunes.

McCallum also admitted he is on the phone to Dean Cox nearly every day, but believes the current Leyton Orient squad is still good enough to achieve what the club has set out to do this year.

The former O’s winger has now signed for League Two rivals Crawley Town after he penned a deal with the club on Tuesday.

Cox is unable to play for the Red Devils until January, however, after leaving the east Londoners on September 1, a day after the transfer deadline window closed.

McCallum struck up a close bond with the 29-year-old last season as both went through rehab together after suffering cruciate knee ligament injuries.

And while the former West Ham United forward was sad to see Cox leave Brisbane Road, he is confident about the squad O’s boss Andy Hessenthaler has put together this summer.

“Me and him were together for the majority of last season, both doing the rehab for the same injury,” said McCallum.

“I’m still on the phone to him nearly every day and we’re talking so it is sad to see him go.

“But we’ve got to focus on what we’ve got here now and I believe we’re still strong enough to do what we want to this year.”

Cox admitted he was left frustrated after his exit before he signed for Crawley.

He terminated his contract by mutual consent and told the BBC he felt he had no choice.

“It is not a nice thing for a footballer. I’m not able to do my job,” he said.

Cox turned down a move to League One side Northampton Town and said he was an emotional wreck on his departure.

He spent six years with the O’s, in which time he scored 59 times in 275 appearances.

He added: “I didn’t really want to leave but, circumstances being what they were, I felt like I had no choice.

“We had come to our conclusion that we were going to go our separate ways. I can’t really elaborate on it for legal reasons.

“It is a club I will always love. When I finish playing I want to be a manager and if I can go back there and manage one day that would be great.

“I was just getting back into the groove; come January I need to be ready to kick on.”