Nicky Hunt said there were no excuses for Leyton Orient’s performance in their 4-0 loss to Exeter City on Monday.

A Ryan Harley double and one apiece from Liam McAlinden and David Wheeler brought Orient back down to earth after going three games unbeaten at home in December.

Paul McCallum and Josh Koroma came close to providing a consolation goal for the travelling O’s fans but could not capitalise on their opportunities.

Hunt admitted: “We were miles off it. We were second best to every ball, second best off the ball as well.

“In the first half I thought we grinded it out a little bit, we had two or three chances but second half it was not acceptable from any of us really.

“We are all extremely disappointed and that will not happen again.”

Wheeler scored after just four minutes and from there it was an uphill battle for Orient.

The defender said: “We have got a bee in our bonnet about that [conceding early] at the moment. We go 1-0 down, and we find it very hard to get back in it, although we did manage it last week (against Cambridge).

“We go on about home form. Exeter has worse home form than us, but we could not capitalise on it. They showed why they are seven unbeaten.”

Having turned their home form around, the loss to Exeter marked the O’s third away defeat of the season.

Asked why he thought the game went wrong, Hunt responded: “I don’t know. You can have every excuse under the sun, two games in three days. But everyone has two games in three days. We had to travel but there are no excuses for that performance.

“We just have to bounce back on Saturday, get the home form right and move up the table.

“Everyone is just gutted. That is not acceptable. We have got to eradicate it from our memory.

“This hurts, don’t get me wrong, but we need to clear this out of our head and go all out against Barnet.”

Orient face a Bees side who are currently just two points outside the play-off zone on Saturday and Hunt said: “All we can hope for is that we get them on a bad day but a good day for us.

“But I am sure if we can look at the positives over the last few weeks we can come away with the win.

“They are direct. They play to the big man up top, a bit like Cambridge were. I think if we deal with their biggest threat I think we will come away with the win.”

Under Andy, Edwards Orient has won two, lost three and drawn once. They recorded their first back-to-back home wins on Boxing Day since August 2015 and there are positive signs.

Hunt said: “All the lads are rallying behind him. Not that we weren’t for the previous managers but we have more of a specific point.

“And we have more of a style of play now. We have wingers who can cross balls, strikers who can score goals, midfielders who can support. And we are playing to our strengths.”