Sam Ling was full of praise for his Leyton Orient teammates after they secured another pre-season win on Saturday, this time a 2-0 success away at Dartford.

Ling scored the second late on after Marvin Ekpiteta had given the O’s an early lead, but he also noted the fitness and sharpness of the side as the new season draws closer.

Speaking to the club website, he said: “I’m feeling good and feeling fit. I think it showed out there that the boys have been working hard. It’s been a tough week for us with the memorial and the two games back-to-back as well and I think the boys getting 90 today as well is massive. I feel like we’re looking good, we’re looking sharp, we’re scoring, we’re not conceding so things are moving in the right direction.

“It was a very competitive game. The games are never easy for pre-season but I feel like not just the results but the performances have got progressively better as well.

“All the defenders that have been in have been unbelievable. They’ve all stuck to their task and Sarge [Sam Sargeant] and Arthur [Janata] the two youngsters in goal have been unbelievable when they’ve both played so credit to them as well.”

Goals are a rare part of Ling’s game but it was he who got the second late on to seal the win for Orient when he powered home James Brophy’s corner, and as well as praising his teammate for the hand he had in both goals, Ling also pledged his desire to contribute to more goals next season.

He said: “I think Brophy has look sharp this pre-season and he’s reaping the rewards, getting the assists.

“It was Webby [Danny Webb] that sent me up. I was meant to be on the edge of the box and he just gave me the nudge to go forward so I lost my runner and got on the end of it. I was buzzing to contribute and I’m happy with the all-round performance.

“I didn’t anywhere near as many [goals] as I wanted to last year. I think goals and assists are important for me whether I’m playing right-back, right-wingback or wherever. I want to be adding them to the tally.”