WIMBORNE boss Matty Holmes is convinced Toby Holmes could produce the goods at a higher level – provided the striker was surrounded by the right players.

Toby Holmes registered his 21st league goal of the season to pave the way for Magpies’ 3-0 win over Totton at Cuthbury on Saturday.

One of Matty Holmes’s first signings when he took over in the summer, the frontman, who boasted a prolific record with Parley in the Dorset Premier League, had brief spells with Poole and Dorchester in the Southern Premier Division last season.

Matty Holmes said: “When I watched my son Luke playing for Poole and Dorchester, I was fortunate to see Toby as well so knew what he could do.

“I thought he would score goals at this level so getting him was one of my first thoughts when I got the job. He causes problems for defenders.

“He can be a bit of a moaner sometimes but that’s the way he is. He just wants to score all the time and get on the end of chances. He has been fantastic for us.”

Asked whether he felt he could play higher, Matty Holmes added: “He could but I think it would depend on who he played with. He has to have the right service.

“We’ve got Luke in midfield who has probably set up 13 of his goals. If he has players like that who play with him and understand where the ball goes, he will get on the end of it.”

Toby Holmes finished with aplomb after Dan Cann had teed him up in the 17th minute before goals either side of half-time effectively killed off the Stags.

Recent signing Carl Preston netted from close range following good work by Billy Maybury three minutes before the break and Jack Lovell’s venomous strike rounded off a superb team move in the first minute of the second half.

Magpies: Benfield, Penny, Hester (Walker, 87), Preston (Hartley, 65), Maybury, Kellaway, Stokoe, L Holmes, T Holmes (Okumu, 83), Cann, Lovell. Unused subs: Prior, Walker-Harris (g/k).