Joe Widdowson described it as an “unbelievable feeling” to score his first goal for Leyton Orient on his 100th appearance for the club.

The strike, with the left-back’s weaker foot, was just the second of his career, with the first coming over 10 years ago while playing for Grimsby Town.

It drew Orient level early in the second half after trailing 1-0 to Walsall, and the O’s went on to win the game 3-1 courtesy of further goals from Matt Harrold and Conor Wilkinson.

After the game, Widdowson said: “I didn’t actually know it was my 100th game but it was an unbelievable feeling to score. Obviously it’s a decent goal as well so I’m happy with that and we went on to get a really good win, so I’m pleased all round.

“It’s all a bit of a blur, I don’t really know how I got up there to be honest. The ball just dropped on my right foot which I don’t use too often. I just swung it and caught it well, and it went in so great feeling.

“I’ve had so much stick over the last couple of years since I’ve been here for never scoring. They always go on about how I never score goals, even in training I don’t always score so it’s a special feeling for me and all the guys celebrated with me as well.”

Orient fell behind after 21 minutes in the game when Stuart Sinclair bundled home the opener, but Widdowson argued that it came slightly against the run of play and that the hosts had started on the front foot.

He said: “I thought we did start fairly well. We were on the front foot and causing problems. Broph [James Brophy] and Conor Wilkinson were lively for us and then they scored against the run of play and it took the wind out of our sails a bit.

“We saw it through until half-time and had a few words about the way we wanted to approach the second half and I thought we went out there with more intent, kept the ball better as well and went on to win fairly comfortably.

“I thought we defended as a team really well in spells in the second half as well so it’s a pleasing result for us.”

The three goals in the second half secured back-to-back wins in League Two for the O’s, and while Widdowson acknowledged that the side can make things difficult for themselves, he was happy with the character that they showed to get back in the game.

He said: “I think we’d rather not have to come from behind in games and that’s something that we do need to put right because it’s happened far too often this season. At the same time, I feel like we are a team that when we’re a goal behind or our backs are against the wall, it galvanises us and we do rise to the challenge.

“We can’t do that every week, we know that, but today we did and I thought we put in a really good performance.”