Dom Ballard: Leyton Orient star on finding a home after loan struggles and survival fight

Finding one 20-goal-a-season striker is hard enough. Finding two in successive seasons is pretty much the footballing equivalent of conquering Mount Everest in sliders. Unless you're Leyton Orient. The O's came within a whisker of the Championship last year as a reward for their shrewd operations in the loan market, with Josh Keeley, Jamie Donley and Charlie Kelman all excelling during temporary spells at Brisbane Road. It was Kelman, though, who led with aplomb from the front, plundering 21 goals on his way to the League One Golden Boot award and a play-off final. Orient's loss was Charlton's gain in the summer: the Londoners snapped up Kelman on a permanent deal to rub added salt in Orient wounds after besting them at Wembley. The drawbacks of the loan market. Fast forward 12 months and Orient have arguably gone one better in Dom Ballard, the 21-year-old striker who is out in a league of his own when it comes to domestic goals this term and, crucially, is theirs. Ballard has found the back of the net 22 times in the league during a breakout campaign, more than any other striker in England's top four divisions bar Erling Haaland (who also has 22 goals). Some going for a player who arrived at Brisbane Road with just six senior league goals to his name. He equalled that tally in just six games, the last of which he marked with a stunning hat-trick. As far as impacts go, Ballard's was instant. "Being settled and having the support of the people around me [has been huge]," Ballard tells Mirror Football after clinching the EFL Young Player of the Month award for March. "When I first came to Orient, everyone at the club was so supportive and believed in me, even after the year I had [last season]. There was still that belief in what I was capable of doing." Ballard rose through the academy ranks at Southampton and had varying levels of success during spells with Reading, Blackpool and Cambridge. The latter two would be Ballard's temporary homes last season, spells which yielded just one and two league goals respectively. There were mitigating circumstances which go some way to explaining why Ballard only exploded this year. At Blackpool, he was signed by Neil Critchley but played the bulk of the season under Steve Bruce, who played a completely different style. Cambridge averaged less than a goal per game and were relegated long before things were made official. Both spells brought turbulence, but also invaluable teachings. "I'd never take [last year] back because I learned a lot at Blackpool about myself," Ballard explains. "Steve Bruce probably doesn't use the sort of style of play that I suit, but he also taught me loads of things that I wouldn't have learned in the 21s. "When I was going out on loan and only spending a few months at a club you don't feel as much of a connection as you do with your parent club. I found that hard. I'm a big football fan and a big supporter of who I play for. When you have that sort of pride it gives you that extra little bit of adrenaline when you win a game. "I wish I would have scored 25 goals last year but it was a massive learning experience for me and I wouldn't take it back for anything." It was Orient, and chiefly their head coach, Richie Wellens, who helped first rebuild Ballard's confidence over the past nine months before giving him the tools to take his game to another level. It was an injury to loanee Alfie Lloyd which accelerated Orient's push to sign Ballard permanently from Southampton, for whom the young striker had forged a fearsome reputation owing to his prolific exploits in the academy. Ballard had been on the books at Southampton for more than a decade before heading to the capital. But after growing up in Corfu until the age of six, Ballard is no stranger to a big move. "I try to go back every year," he says, retelling the experiences he can recall from his formative years on the popular Greek island. "It's a special place for me. It was always my mum and dad's dream to live abroad and they got the opportunity to go and do it. I think my dad saw that I had ability playing football and wanted to see me come back to England." Chigwell, the home of Orient's modest training base, is certainly no match for Corfu when it comes to the climate, or much else. But there is still plenty to be excited about for those of an Orient persuasion, who have been forced to weather a chastening campaign. Though the east Londoners have been able to replicate the blueprint of unearthing a 20 goal a season striker, there will be no play-offs this time around. Instead, Wellens' men are looking over their shoulder with just a four point buffer over the relegation places. Another aggressive turnover of players in the summer effectively hamstrung Orient from erecting another promotion push with mixed levels of success on the recruitment front. A ghastly run of luck with goalkeepers - they have signed five in the past 12 months - has also not helped. Daniel Bachmann was signed on loan in January to replace the recalled Tommy Simkin, but further deals for Will Dennis and Tobi Oluwayemi were agreed after the Austrian injured himself in the warm-up just minutes prior to his debut. The situation between the sticks has continued to Orient having the worst defensive record in the league, shipping 66 goals. Safety is close, but not quite assured. And yet, there is more than a glimmer of hope on the horizon, with ambitious plans for a new training ground and stadium afoot. There is scope for far more celebrations, rather than commiserations, in the near future provided they can avoid the drop - particularly with a player of Ballard's ilk leading the line. "Statistically we probably need three more points [to be sure of safety]," Ballard said prior to games against Huddersfield and Mansfield this week, which yielded a solitary point. "Ultimately the gaffer's emphasis has been on trying to build something for next year, building connections. "We made some changes in January and we've got a new captain in Will [Forrest], he and James Morris and Kaelan Casey have made a real difference. We look a better unit. "We've got a good team right now which we don't feel like is going to change massively through the summer." Ballard's Young Player of the Month award for March, where he amassed five goals and an assist in six games, could be followed swiftly by the League One Golden Boot and the divisional Player of the Season award, which he was nominated for earlier this month. His March haul included his third hat-trick of the season - a feat no Orient player has managed since the legendary Tommy Johnson back in 1957-58. There have been barren runs, too. But he explains: "The thing that I'm most proud of is that I can score two or three on the bounce and then not score for a few games, but I know the goals are going to drop because I'm capable of scoring at this level." Whereas Kelman's goals came close to propelling Orient out of the division last year, Ballard's contributions have served a different purpose. Not that such facts should taint his imperious tally. Ballard almost begrudgingly accepts the personal accolades that come with such prolific territory, though he is quick to divert the bulk of any praise to his manager and team-mates. He credits the whole club, beyond just the playing staff, for rebuilding his confidence. "From the first day I came to watch a game and decided I was signing, the staff have been amazing. The fans have always supported me and I've got my little song, which is really nice as well. "Even the players: it was such an easy group to walk into. That's a massive thing after being in a different place for such a long time. I think I needed that and it helped me build my confidence. "[Wellens] is emotional, but it's because he cares. As a group of players we see that. I'd personally rather play for a gaffer it really matters to than one it doesn't. "The little tweaks [Wellens has made], tiny things that I wouldn't have even thought of, little bits of movement and out of possession [actions] to take my game to the next level [has been huge]. As a striker you're judged on goals, but it's not all about scoring. He's helped me develop my game all round." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.