STEPHEN DAWSON believes his new-look Orient side are beginning to click ahead of the start of the 2010/11 season.

The O's continued their impressive pre-season record with an entertaining 2-2 draw against a Tottenham Hotspur XI on Wednesday night, and after hitting the woodwork four times, the east Londoners should really have been comfortable victors.

Dawson, a 24-year-old midfielder, was one of nine summer arrivals in E10 this summer following manager Russell Slade's major overhaul of the playing squad.

The former Bury man, who was named in the PFA League 2 Team of the Year last season, says the preparations for the new campaign are ticking along nicely.

"We played some nice football in the first half," he said. "Barring the frame of the goal we would have been four or five up at half time.

"Second half we got a bit tired. We made an awful lot of changes and they came back out on top a bit, but overall it was a good game. We got the ball down and knocked it around well.

"I think we're beginning to come together as a team out there on the pitch. We had a week away in Devon, which was brilliant and we've had a lot of games with which to gel together now.

"We're looking a lot fitter now too after four weeks of training. Some people have said that last year the team weren't as fit, but that won't be the case now.

"We're strong as a unit and for the first 60 minutes we played Spurs off the park last night."

Dawson has made the step up from League 2 to join the O's this summer and he's already relishing the experience at his new club.

He says Slade's men possess the right character to cause a few shocks as they aim to look upwards in the third tier.

"All the lads have been great," he said. "Everyone's getting together and the team spirit's here already.

"There are a lot of strong characters in the dressing room - a lot of captains and talkers out there.

"It's looking good and I can't thank the manager, the assistant, the fans, the players enough because I'm just loving being here at the minute.

"I'm really looking forward to the new season. We'll get another hard week of training behind us, play another couple of games and be ready for Yeovil on August 7.

"I think we'll surprise a few this year. As you could see in the first half we like to get the ball down and play and we want to get off to a good start."

This interview appeared first as a TV feature on Orient Player. Click here to subscribe or for more info on our premium web service - available from less than 10p per day!