JUBILANT manager Matty Holmes said he had been “absolutely delighted” after Wimborne Town tonight booked their place in the Southern League West play-offs.

Magpies’ 4-1 win over Paulton Rovers at Cuthbury – courtesy of Toby Holmes’s double and goals from Luke Holmes and Lee Francis – guaranteed them a top-six finish.

Victory over lowly Slimbridge at Cuthbury on Saturday in their final league game of the season would secure them third place and, with it, home advantage in the play-off semi-final – and final, in the event of them winning through.

Magpies are the first qualifiers for the play-offs with the other three places still up for grabs. Their opponents in the last four will come from Evesham United, Swindon Supermarine, Cirencester Town, Bristol Manor Farm, Didcot Town or Bideford.

Boss Holmes told the Daily Echo: “I am absolutely delighted and you work all season for things like this.

“The remit at the start of the season was always to finish above 11th and try to get more than 57 points, our finishing position and points tally from last season.

“We have grown as the season has gone on and got better and better. It is a delight to watch the boys play and I think we have thoroughly deserved it.”

Goals from Toby Holmes and Luke Holmes inside the opening five minutes settled any nerves in the home camp, although Magpies should have been out of sight by the interval.

A fortuitous goal from Shea Bennington-Mannings, when Wimborne goalkeeper Gerard Benfield could only punch a corner on to the striker before the ball ended up in the back of the net, halved the deficit after 54 minutes.

And after Wimborne had weathered a brief storm, Toby Holmes popped up with his 57th goal of the season to ease the pressure 12 minutes from time before substitute Francis came off the bench to complete the scoring two minutes from time.

Wimborne will stage the play-off semi-final at Cuthbury on Wednesday, May 2 (7.45pm) with the final taking place on Monday, May 7 (3pm).

Magpies: Benfield, Maybury, Hester, Arnold, Oldring, Kellaway, Stokoe, L Holmes (Francis, 85), T Holmes, Burbidge (Bayston, 90), Lovell (Cole, 90). Unused subs: Penny, Walsh (g/k).