Tom Parkes praised boss Andy Edwards for helping Leyton Orient to become more of a defensive unit despite losing 1-0 to Wycombe Wanderers at the weekend.

Former O’s player Scott Kashket scored the only goal of the game early in the second half to seal Orient’s third away loss of the season.

Paul McCallum had a goal disallowed for offside late in the opening period but the Chairboys showed why they are the team on form by winning their eighth straight game in all competitions.

The 24-year-old said: “He [Edwards] has done well. He has come in and worked with us and I think it has been positive defensive wise.

“We have been sloppy with goals conceded at times. We have worked on that and worked on attacking.

“But just recently it has been defensive and we lost against Wycombe but we look defensively tighter and stronger as games are coming.

“I thought as a defensive unit we were solid. It is disappointing. It is a slip on the edge of the box and they break on us but I thought we were strong.

“They didn’t have too many chances that I can think of.”

Since Edwards took charge from Alberto Cavasin last month, he has recorded two losses and one vital win at Brisbane Road.

The O’s have also not conceded from a set piece in two games and the former Bristol Rovers player sees this as a major positive.

“It is a massive stepping stone not conceding from a set piece. I am sure someone said we have conceded 13 goals or something from set pieces,” said Parkes “To go two games without conceding from a set piece is a good leverage for us and hopefully we can build on that but we have to stop the sloppiness.”

The E10 club has an important fixture schedule during the festive period with 11th-placed Crawley Town and seventh-placed Cambridge United both visiting Brisbane Road.

With the Boxing Day match kicking off at 1pm, the O’s could climb up the table to 18th before the other games get underway, providing another incentive to get the win.

Parkes said: “I think against Accrington we fully deserved the win in that, even though they got sent down to 10 men. “We just have to make sure we get over the Wycombe game and when Crawley comes, work as hard as we are doing and get the three points. Then we have another home game after that so we will do the same.

“It is massively important that we start performing. I have always said the Christmas period is the one, it is this week where we can get our momentum going.

“I have seen teams before where they are in the same situation and had a good Christmas period and bounce on.

“Hopefully that can happen to us and have a good festive period, get over last weekend and work hard in training and start again.”

Although moving away from the bottom end of the table is the aim for the O’s, the defender was keen to stress they should focus on winning.

He said: “I don’t think we should look too much at the table. We just have to focus on winning games and once we start winning games then we can look at the table.

“We just have to make sure that in the next game we take the three points.”

Callum Kennedy had to come off injured in the second half at Adams Park after landing awkwardly making a clearance to keep the game at 1-0.

When asked how much of a blow his potential absence would be to the squad, the central defender said: “I spoke to him after the game, he said it was sore but we have good staff at the club that is down to them what happens with Callum. Hopefully, he is back for the next game.

“Teddy (Mezague) came on and he is an experienced player but he is new to playing in England. But he came on and did a good job. He is a good lad.”

Parkes was also full of praise for the Under-18s after winning the league at the weekend saying: “It is a credit to the club.”

Cambridge travel to the Matchroom Stadium on New Year’s Eve with a 1pm kick off before an away trip to Exeter City.