WIMBORNE Town boss Steve Cuss claimed his team were “a match for anyone” after watching them end their five-match winless league run in emphatic fashion.

The Magpies fought back from Edd Vahid's early effort, taking full advantage of some good fortune and playing the treacherous conditions well to crush play-off chasing Yate at Cuthbury on Saturday.

Shaun Brian's diving header from Aidan Sainsbury's low centre levelled the match against the run of play before Jon Blake handed the hosts a half-time lead with a shot from the edge of the penalty area which took a heavy deflection off Yate defender Scott Thomas.

Marauding defender Nathan Peprah-Annan then extended the Magpies' lead when his floated cross from the left evaded everyone to nestle in the top left corner of Lubos Ancin's net.

Blake wrapped up the points by converting Adam Costello's cross shot at the far post before Brian plundered another header from Sainsbury's free-kick with five minutes to go.

It was Wimborne's fourth win against the league's current top six this season and boss Cuss insists his charges have nothing to fear from the division's big guns.

Cuss told the Daily Echo: “This result and some of the others we have had against the top sides show we are a match for anyone in this league on our day.

“Consistency has been the word thrown around the dressing room all season and we have all felt the frustration when we haven't been able to find the level of performance that we aspire to on a regular basis.

“The performance was particularly pleasing on Saturday because we had to show resilience and dig in.

“Yate created plenty of chances for a spell in the first half and the lads deserve a lot of credit for the way we stuck to the task and didn't go under at 1-0 down. We rode it out and reaped the rewards.

“They also had some pressure at 2-1 so the third goal was crucial, but we really kicked on from there and I was delighted with the performance and the result.”

Cuss, whose team had failed to score in seven of their previous 11 league matches, admitted there was an element of luck to a couple of Wimborne's goals but insisted that fortune favours the brave.

The Magpies manager added: “You make your own luck. We have been critical of the players at times this season, and particularly in recent weeks, for not shooting, so you earn that luck by having a go.

“We talked about sharing the goals around other areas of the team. Our strikers have gone through a bit of a lean spell lately despite working hard to put it right, so getting goals from different areas takes the pressure off a little and gives you the chance to win matches.”

Magpies: Harvell, Arnold, Cole, Brian, Peprah-Annan, Blake, Sainsbury, Costello, Smith (Mogg, 80), Davidson (Jeffes, 78), Webb (Maybury, 74). Unused subs: Roast, Ackerman (g/k).

  • The rest of the non-league schedule was washed out as heavy rain left pitches waterlogged.

Postponements: Southern Premier - Bashley v St Neots Town. Southern Division One South & West - Swindon Supermarine v Poole Town. Wessex Premier - AFC Portchester v Verwood Town, Blackfield & Langley v Hamworthy United, GE Hamble v Bournemouth Poppies, Newport (IOW) v New Milton Town, Totton & Eling v Christchurch. Wessex One - Ringwood Town v Team Solent.