Orient's Martin Rowlands on his full debut for the O's at Crawley Pic Simon O'Connor

Rowlands is enjoying himself again

Former QPR man Martin Rowlands is delighted to be back playing football again.

The 33-year midfielder left Loftus Road last January after a successful nine-year spell and signed for Colchester United.

But he made just seven league starts for the League One side before being released and after spending part of pre-season with Orient, he signed a short-term contract with Russell Slade’s side last week and is delighted to be involved again.

Rowlands made his league debut for the O’s in a 1-0 defeat at Crawley last Saturday and said: “It’s good to get back playing and be part of a side again. I’m enjoying it here.

“I’ve trained for about three weeks before, but obviously my match fitness needs to get up to speed as well and it was good to get 80 minutes. It was just a shame about the result.

“I’m sure with games I will get fully fit and I’m sure the results will definitely come.”

“We had a few half chances and they have taken their chances better than we took ours.

“Crawley pinned us back for 20 minutes in the second half, but we were not under any real pressure.

“I don’t think out keeper had to make many saves. We defended well and it’s disappointing to come away with nothing.”

Rowlands hopes that Orient will be able to turn things around at Swindon on Saturday and added: “Obviously, they are going well and it’s at their place and I’m sure it will be a tough game, but we are confident.

“We have not conceded many goals and hopefully we can go into Saturday and I’m sure we can pick up a decent result.”

Rowlands refused to blame Orient’s Capital One Cup exertions at Everton for their defeat.

“It was tough, but that’s no excuse,” he said.

“We were all ready to go. We started well, we had a decent first half and it was just unfortunate we couldn’t take any of our half chances and create a bit more and then they got in and took their chance which was possibly down to mistakes on our own part.”

Rowlands had a penalty appeal rejected early on, but insisted O’s should have had a spot kick.

“He’s caught my foot and the ref’s thought I had gone down too easy. But straight away I have gone to their player and he said ‘I caught you’.

“I said to the referee you have a look at the video and you will see he has caught my foot, but they are the things that don’t go with you when things are not going your way.

“But I’m sure with time, hard work and the way we defended today, things will come.”