Ross Embleton insists that Leyton Orient must take positives from their tough start to the campaign, as they bid to record their first National League victory of the season against Barrow on Saturday.

The O’s have been held by both Salford City and Ebbsfleet United so far, two teams who are hotly tipped to be among the favourites for promotion this season.

Orient have played well in patches against both sides so far but they have been made to pay for not converting their chances, with Josh Koroma, Macauley Bonne and James Alabi squandering presentable opportunities in both matches.

After the high of a last gasp equaliser against Salford last Saturday, the boot was on the other foot on Tuesday night as Corey Whitely struck late on to secure Ebbsfleet a point right at the death at the Breyer Group Stadium.

Orient’s priority will now turn to getting three points against Barrow on Saturday and set pieces will certainly be something that the team will work on in the build up to the game, with Dan Jones’ long throw causing the O’s plenty of problems last season at Brisbane Road.

Assistant coach Embleton said: “We need to take positives and we knew this was going to be a tough start with the two teams. They are the two big challengers in the league this year in my opinion. We all know what everybody has made of Salford but I think Ebbsfleet go under the radar in terms of the power they’ve got to bring in good players.

“We knew the first two games were going to be tough. We are unbeaten and we will prepare for a team like Barrow as we do for every other team. There will always be pressure and that desire for us to go and get a win at the weekend and we will do everything we can to get it.

“In this league, people put a lot on corners, set pieces and long throws and we’ve got one or two up our sleeves ourselves. It’s not like we think today we’re playing Barrow, let’s make sure we work on defending a long throw, as there will be 10/12 teams that throw that at us.

“It’s something we will constantly monitor and focus on. We’ll be more focused and prepared on certain attributes that people have to throw at us so that we are ready to deal with it.”