MATTY Holmes hailed a "great achievement" after Wimborne blitzed Slimbridge to secure the highest league finish in the club's history.

Holmes's team went into the final game of the campaign missing a host of frontline performers and smarting from a four-match losing run.

But goals from Louis Kellaway, James Stokoe and Sam Davidson propelled Magpies to the 3-1 victory that secured 11th spot in Southern South & West, bettering the 12th place finish they sealed four years ago.

Holmes told the Daily Echo: "The boys were really switched on from the start. Getting the goal settled us down and we played some really good football throughout.

"Losing four on the spin was tough for them. We asked them in the week to make one last effort and have a real go.

"The incentive was to try to finish as high as possible and we achieved a club record, which is great for them.

"They have bounced back really well from disappointments. They are not the sort of lads who will go under and that is something I have been really pleased with this year."

Jack Lovell could have added to Kellaway and Stokoe's first-half strikes when he was fouled in the box shortly after the break. The attacker, though, had his spot-kick saved by visiting 'keeper Marcus Beauchamp.

Davidson made sure of victory with 10 minutes to play, before Slimbridge midfielder David Merrick lashed home a consolation free-kick.

"It is all down to the players," added Holmes. "As managers and coaches you can guide them, but they have to go and put that into practice and get the result.

"We missed so many chances in the second half but some of our football was wonderful. Our combination play around the area was excellent, we could easily have scored five or six."

Magpies: Benfield, Walker, Penny, Oldring, Davidson, Kellaway, Stokoe, Maybury, T Holmes (Cann, 85), Neale (Prior, 81), Lovell.

Unused subs: Traynor, D Holmes.