MANAGER Matty Holmes felt Wimborne Town’s first clean sheet at Cuthbury this season had been reward for his players’ efforts on the training ground.

Goals from Toby Holmes, Louis Kellaway and Jack Lovell saw Magpies register a third home league win in four – following a run of four successive defeats in front of their own fans.

Wimborne, who had conceded a penalty in their 2-1 win over Larkhall seven days previously, gave away another spot-kick after 20 minutes with the score at 0-0.

But after Billy Maybury had been penalised for pushing Barnstaple striker Ryan Turner, Jack Jenkins blazed his effort high over the crossbar.

Toby Holmes made the visitors pay just four minutes later when he slotted the ball under goalkeeper Steve Oliver to open the scoring for the hosts.

His 21st goal of a productive season was added to when Kellaway bagged his first of the campaign, a finely-taken header from a Jack Lovell cross three minutes after the break.

Lovell completed the scoring with another excellent headed goal from a Luke Holmes free-kick 15 minutes from time.

Boss Holmes told the Daily Echo: “It was a hard-fought win and I was delighted with the clean sheet because that was something we had been working on for ages.

“It could have been a different story if they had scored the penalty but, in terms of our general defending, I was delighted against a very competitive side.

“We had been desperate for a clean sheet at home and you could see the confidence in the boys after the game. They were really upbeat knowing they can keep one.

“We have done a lot of work on trying to get the units close together. We needed to get the midfield, the defence and the forwards closer to each other when we haven’t got the ball.

“In previous games, we had been so spread out. Because we are trying to be a passing-possession side, we make the pitch big when we are out of possession.

“We have been working really hard to get the balance of when we can pass and move the ball quickly and getting everyone back in position after we have lost the ball.

“It is a process which is not going to come overnight and we have taken a few hidings for it. Hopefully, as a team, we can stick to it now.”

Magpies: Benfield, Walker, Penny, Maybury, Cocklin, Kellaway, Stokoe (Griggs, 84), L Holmes, T Holmes, Cann (Bayston, 80), Lovell. Unused subs: Lanahan, S Davidson, Walker-Harris (g/k).