BOSS Matty Holmes urged Wimborne Town winger Luke Burbidge to increase his goal tally after he netted the leveller at Cinderford Town.

Burbidge was on target as Magpies extended to five games their unbeaten run in Southern League West having come from behind to force a 1-1 draw at the Causeway.

By far the provider of the most assists for Magpies this season, the former Poole Town wide man struck home his fifth Wimborne goal of the campaign.

Manager Holmes told the Daily Echo: “I was really pleased for Luke to get his goal.

“He has made so many assists and settled in really well with us. The challenge for him is just to score more goals to match his ability.

“He passes a lot and crosses for other people. I was trying to encourage him to score more goals, so I was delighted he was on the scoresheet.

“He causes havoc down the right hand side and, for the ability he has, it’s a privilege to have him here.

“You can see when he plays he is happy and that’s the key for any player. If they are happy they will produce good form and that’s what he is doing.”

Burbidge scored after Magpies had initially trailed having conceded early in Gloucestershire.

Lorcan Sheehan fired across goal onto the head of striker Richard Greaves whose vital touch meant the ball fell into the net.

Greaves was then denied a second after Gerard Benfield in the visitors’ goal pulled off a sublime stop to keep the score at 1-0.

And as Magpies grew into the contest, Burbidge came to the rescue to seal their fifth league draw of the campaign.

He was alert on 63 minutes to smash the ball in at the back post after Toby Holmes’s initial effort fell across the face of goal.

Wimborne came within inches of winning the contest at the death when Toby Holmes’s strike was saved and, after another vital block, Lee Francis saw his fizzing attempt rattle the crossbar.

“We were slow to start and it was a scrappy first goal we gave away,” added Holmes.

“It wasn’t until around 30 minutes when we started to get a bit of control and play the right passes.

“But we were totally dominant in the second half and I was really proud of the way the boys reacted. Last season we would have probably lost that game.

“I would have taken a point at Cinderford all day. It was a tough place to go

“They had the tactic to try to rough us up a bit and that’s football. You have to be competitive but I think they knew we had dangerous front players and they tried to stop us playing.”

The point meant Magpies remained sixth in the table, with 50 points from 30 league games.

Magpies: Benfield, Penny (Walker, 80), Cole (Hester, h-t), Oldring, Maybury, Kellaway, Francis, L Holmes, T Holmes, Burbidge, Lovell. Unused subs: Arnold, Walsh (g/k).