MIDDLESBROUGH'S Zach Hemming appears to be finding his feet at Leyton Orient with the goalkeeper recovering from some harsh early criticism from boss Richie Wellens and playing a starring role in the weekend win at Reading.

Hemming headed for Orient on loan in the summer on the back of an impressive spell with St Mirren but endured a difficult start as Wellens' side lost their first four league games.

After an error from Hemming in the 2-1 defeat to Birmingham last month, Wellens said: "There is no hiding from it, our goalkeeper has cost us points. We could easily be sitting here with six or seven points, so he needs to look at himself in the mirror and get better."

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Hemming has shown his character by responding well.

The 24-year-old kept his first clean sheet of the season at Reading as Orient got off the mark and climbed off the bottom of the table.

Wellens said: "I thought Zach was excellent today and that will do his confidence the world of good. He’s a good kid and he’s growing. When you start to embrace a new club, that comes with winning and feeling the love for your teammates. We thank him for the three points today because I thought he was excellent."

Hemming is understood to have impressed at Boro in pre-season but with Seny Dieng, Tom Glover and Sol Brynn for company between the posts, he wouldn't have featured this season.

He still has two years to run on his contract so Boro will be closely monitoring his spell at Brisbane Road and will make a decision on the keeper's future when he returns next summer.