Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell admitted the performance of the Grecians was ‘embarrassing’ as they were thrashed 6-2 at home by Leyton Orient. But he insisted that his side can turn around their poor run of form as their winless League One run was extended to seven.

City were shambolic at times in the first half at St James Park and were 3-0 down inside 13 minutes. Azeem Abdulai got the first two with five and seven minutes on the clock, before Sean Clare made it three on 13 minutes when his curling strike flew into the top corner of the net. Dilan Markanday was then left with an absurd amount of space to clip home a fourth inside 34 minutes.

Exeter rallied though and briefly the unlikeliest of comebacks seemed on. Millenic Alli pulled one back two minutes into the second half, heading home from close range. The Irishman then got a second ten minutes later, heading in from a corner.

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But when Abdulai completed his hat-trick 25 minutes from time, that sealed the win for the visitors. Jamie Donley made it six late on when his shot took a wicked deflection and looped in. City were booed off at full-time, with a section of the fanbase calling for the manager to leave.

Orient, who now have six wins in seven, rose to sixth in the table after their win. For Exeter, it was now just two wins in 15 in League One, and one point from the last 21 available. While they stayed 17 ^th , the gap to the relegation places is now down to just eight points, and they might now be looking over their shoulder.

“I am really disappointed and it was a bit embarrassing the way we performed,” Caldwell said. “We gave the game away straight away again. We show our fight again in the second half, get back to 4-2 and are right in the game and we throw momentum away again.

“It was poor from the start and we gave the game away in the first 15 minutes. We had some moments and when we attacked we looked a threat but every time we lost it they looked an even bigger threat. We got bullied the first 15 minutes and that is never a nice thing for a team

“We apologise to the supporters that came here tonight, we have to do better – and we have to do better quickly. I take responsibility for the result and I need to do better and bring reinforcements into the team before next Monday. But we have 18 big games to go and we have to regroup very quickly.

“We only had two recognised defenders in the team, but we have to do better as a team competing. We have to compete much better and we got outdone in the first 15 minutes by a team that was more aggressive, won more duals and out run us.

“We didn’t double up, run back, stop any counter attack, and they were 3-0 up in 14 minutes and not done a great deal to do that. There are key moments we have to be better, it is my responsibility to show them that and do better the next 18 games.”

After the 3-1 home defeat to Blackpool on Saturday, Caldwell made five changes to the starting line-up. Ilmari Niskanen, Ryan Woods and Jack Aitchison were given recalls, while Caleb Watts, fresh of his new contract, was fit to start. The fifth change saw Cheick Diabate start for the first time in the league this season.

Pat Jones, Demetri Mitchell and Joel Colwill all dropped down to the bench, while Kevin McDonald and Jack Fitzwater missed out with injury. Ed James was preferred to Ben Purrington as a substitute – with Caldwell confirming that it was a selection choice.

With five minutes on the clock, Orient had the lead. The ball worked nicely down the right to Markanday. He pulled the ball back to Abdulai, who sweetly struck the ball first-time. It was his first goal for the O’s in only his second appearance. It was the 17 ^th successive game City had conceded in.

Seconds later, it was two. Almost straight from kick-off Richie Wellens’ won the ball back, and it was worked to Jamie Donley on the right. He played a ball inside to Abdulai, who somehow was on the edge of the area in about 20 yards of space with no defender near him. The 22-year-old composed himself, and coolly slotted past Joe Whitworth to make it 2-0 after only seven minutes.

In the 13 ^th minute, there was another goal, and it was a third for the visitors. Clare had time and space 25 yards from goal, and he curled a beautiful pin-point strike that beat the dive of Whitworth and went into the top corner off the post.

It could have been four inside 20 minutes. Charlie Kelman let fly on the volley, and Whitworth at full stretch had to tip it wide. But with 35 minutes gone, it was four, and again all too preventable. Whitworth gave the ball away with a terrible clearance. Donley on the left floated the ball into the box, Markanday was somehow totally unmarked with no-one around, and he clipped the ball over the goalkeeper.

Caldwell made two changes at the break. Tony Yogane and Colwill replaced Aitchison and Jake Richards. And within two minutes, City had pulled one back. Yogane danced down the left and whipped in a teasing cross which Alli at the far post met to head home to make it 4-1. It was third in three games and an 11 ^th of the season.

Jack Currie had to head a dipping Yogane cross off the line and behind as Alli was lurking. But from the corner, it was 4-2. Ed Francis swung it in, Alli rose highest, and his header went in off the crossbar. It was game on.

But with 64 minutes played, it was game off. The O’s made it 5-2 as Abdulai completed his hat-trick. They swiftly broke with pace, Currie drilled in a low cross, as the new signing stuck out of a boot to divert the cross into the far corner, and he celebrated in front of the away fans.

In the 79 ^th minute, Orient got a sixth. Donley let fly on the half-volley from 25 yards, it took a wicked deflection, and looped over Whitworth and in. It was the first time since 2008 City had conceded six at home in a league game. It was the first time since 1954 the O’s had scored six away from home.

With the rain pouring down, fans were streaming out. There was a chorus of boos from those still inside at full-time, as City crashed to another defeat. The gap to the bottom four is still eight points, but results need to turn quickly to avoid Exeter being properly dragged into a relegation fight.

“We have to find something to get us into the game as at the moment we are beat before the game starts,” Caldwell added. “We have been here before – I’ll take criticism head on, I don’t mind it, and the fans can say what they want, they pay their money, they own the football club.

“I’d say judge me and the players at the end of the season because there are 18 games to go, a fourth round FA Cup tie, there is still a lot of positivity, and we are still in a position and a lot of points to play for, but at the moment, we are not doing basic things we have to do better and that is my responsibility

“We know how difficult the league is. We are punching above our weight, and people need to keep the belief. We had the same thing last season and the ‘Caldwell out’ and we came through it with flying colours. If there is negativity, fine, direct it at me. We have 18 games left and I am 100 per cent confident we will have a strong season this year, you can’t just say get the manager out.

“They are not throwing the towel in, you could see in the second half the fight and how they were trying. There is still a lot for this club to look forward to. I know the negativity is there, but stick with us, and judge us at the end of the season.”

Exeter City are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Stevenage for a 12.30pm kick-off.