Dan Happe may not have started Saturday’s 3-1 win over Bromley, but his intervention from the bench was as telling as any in the Leyton Orient squad.

The defender came on for the injured Marvin Ekpiteta and produced a vital last man tackle to deny Bromley a clear-cut chance with the O’s trailing 1-0.

Orient boss Justin Edinburgh was quick to highlight the impact made by the 20-year-old who he felt was instrumental in the O’s success.

“Dan Happe came in and he was immense. He fitted in seemlessly, it was a top performance from him,” Edinburgh said.

“For someone who hasn’t played a significant amount of games to come in and play the way he did is very pleasing for me.

“If he doesn’t make that tackle and we go 2-0 down, it becomes a long way back into the game.”

Edinburgh has always spoken of the importance a strong squad would have on Orient mounting a successful push for National League promotion this season.

The Orient boss says Happe’s involvement is further evidence of the quality he has at his disposal and shows his players are ready to take first-team chances.

“We always say it is about the squad and not just the 11 players who start the game. It is about game changers and Dan certainly did that today,” he said.

“I am really pleased for him because everyone in the team has had to be really patient.

“How the players perform away from the pitch and in training is how they will get in the team.”

Saturday’s game was also notable for the performance o Craig Clay who was instrumental at the heart of the Orient midfield.

Edinburgh has always been an admirer of Clay and feels he is now reaching the standards he is capable of.

He said: “Craig is the driving force to what we do. I have tracked him over many a year and he has always been a seven-and-a-half out of 10.”