Cook takes Pompey back to basics

And Paul Cook has challenged his players to keep up the graft and impose themselves on Derek Adams’ Plymouth.

The manager was delighted with the work ethic of his men at Leyton Orient after three league defeats in four.

Now the test is to maintain it as they go to the league leaders.

Cook said: ‘Last weekend at Orient was a perfect example of a manager going back to basics in what he believes in.

‘In the midst of Acrrington, Morecambe, Blackpool and the result against Doncaster, we were getting a little bit lost in what we were doing.

‘In the middle of all that, though, was the Wycombe and Barnet performances.

‘So our players kept taking us to places where they grasped what we wanted – and then they dropped us.

‘It was back to basics. Be the hardest-working side on the pitch. That’s what won us the game.

‘When you look at the Accrington game, were we working harder than them? We went along with what was going on.

‘We have to break our shackles from that. We don’t go along with what goes on.

‘Against Plymouth we will try our best to impose ourselves on Plymouth.’

Cook has been impressing his desire to press the opposition this week ahead of the Plymouth clash.

He said: ‘It’s repetition in messages throughout the week. It’s important we enforce those messages more when we’re doing well.

‘The Orient performance was how I enjoy the game being played – we were terrific. The reality is we’re reasonably happy with the start but we believe there’s so much more improvement as a team.’