Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens has hailed Paul Smyth as a "special" talent who should be playing at a higher level. The 24-year-old forward returned to play 45 minutes of the O's friendly defeat to Portsmouth on Tuesday night.
Smyth left his mark on the game, scoring a fine goal just before the break to make it 2-1. Pompey would go on to score another three in the second half as the game finished 5-2.
The former Linfield winger has a habit of scoring special goals. He did it a number of times last season, including worldies against Scunthorpe, Rochdale and Barrow.
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It was enough to convince Wellens that Smyth can become the best player in EFL League Two. And the head coach hasn't seen anything to change his mind.
Reflecting on Smyth's latest goal against Pompey, Wellens said: "He is sharp. He does those kinds of thing in training.
"He takes the ball with one foot and gets his shot off quickly with the other foot. So we are really happy with him.
"As a personality he is bubbly, he is loud. We love him to bits.
"He always seems to score here. He has special attributes in League Two and should be playing higher.
"We just need to keep him fit."
Smyth joined Leyton Orient last summer and went on to score four goals in 26 appearances. He impressed during the second half of the season despite suffering a collapsed lung back in February.
The Northern Ireland international has proved a valuable asset for the O's, with Wellens praising the player's versatility across a number of forward positions. Smyth adapted to a false nine role on Tuesday night against Portsmouth.
Wellens added: "We played with no (number) nine. I thought Paul Smyth acquitted himself very well and he gives us food for thought in that area."
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