Craig Clay was pleased with Leyton Orient’s performance in the 5-0 friendly win over Harlow Town after what had been a “tough” week for the players.

The O’s made their return to match action just five and a half weeks after their 2018/19 campaign drew to a close and in the same week the players and staff had attended the funeral of late head coach Justin Edinburgh, who passed away last month after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Five different players got their name on the scoresheet, including two new signings in Conor Wilkinson and Lee Angol, as the O’s ran out comfortable winners against their BetVictor League South Central Division opponents.

Speaking after the game, Clay said: “It was a good workout for the boys. I think that’s the main thing with pre-season games. It’s nice for the new lads to get a goal and the rest of the strikers. Right now it’s just about minutes and it’s 45 in the bag for us.

“There’s no denying it’s been tough, it’s been tough coming back in. The first few days were so strange and obviously we had the funeral on Thursday which was a beautiful send-off. We’re still healing and there’s still going to be a healing process for the next few weeks for everyone, the fans, the staff, the players and I’m sure the first game is going to be emotional but we’ve got something extra to do it for now.”

As well as it being the first opportunity for Orient to integrate the new players into a matchday squad, it was also the first chance for the new-look coaching team of Ross Embleton, Danny Webb and Jobi McAnuff to look at their squad in match action, and Clay believes they have settled well into their new positions.

He said: “Ross, Jobi and Webby were here last season so it’s not much of a change. Mike [Cooper] has come in a well, the new fitness coach. You can tell he knows his stuff already from being at Spurs. It’s been a good start in regards to that.”

The O’s departed for a pre-season training camp in Spain this morning and, as well as the training sessions they will undertake, they will also be playing a friendly against Championship side Hull City tomorrow evening, and Clay believes it will prove to be a worthwhile test.

He said: “Going away, it showed last year the togetherness it gave us and it brought us a lot closer so I think that’s always beneficial as a group. You’re with the lads 24/7, when you’re having your downtime you’re with them, when you are training you’re with them so it does bring you closer together.

“We’ve got Hull on Tuesday which, no disrespect to today, will be tougher opposition so that’s going to be another test for us but at the moment it’s just minutes – minutes in the legs and trying to get that sharpness back and come four weeks’ time we’ll be fit and ready to go.”