BOSS Matty Holmes heaped praise on his Wimborne Town charges after they hauled themselves out of the Southern League South bottom three.

Magpies produced a dazzling second-half display to comfortably dispatch Kings Langley 5-0 at KoolPak Stadium, recording just their second league victory of the campaign.

Luke Burbidge opened the scoring before a Toby Holmes double, Franklyn Clarke and Curtis Young ensured Wimborne ran out emphatic winners.

And manager Holmes insisted the positive result had been in the pipeline after previous performances warranted a healthier points tally.

He told the Daily Echo: “Psychologically, if you are out of the bottom three it’s always great to see because you don’t want to be in those areas.

“We had not been too downhearted about it. We knew it would be tough this season and we just had to keep going and grind things out.

“We have been so upbeat because we know we have been playing well.

“The first half on Saturday was quite even and Gerard (Benfield) made a couple of good saves. We stayed in the game, worked hard and did the out of possession stuff really well.

“Just before half-time we scored a really good goal and it came at just the right time.

“They started brightly in the second half but we didn’t concede, grew into the game again and the goals flowed.

“We were excellent. I thought the last half hour was the best we have played all season – but we have played better over a whole 90 minutes and been beaten, it’s funny how it goes.”

Despite producing a five-star performance, Magpies were rocked by an injury sustained to substitute Lee Francis.

The midfielder was taken to hospital having sustained fractured ribs just 12 minutes after coming off the bench.

Holmes said: “I think they were getting a little frustrated. Lee was on the touchline and their lad just charged into him.

“I wouldn’t say it was on purpose but I think frustration was there. He was a big lad and Lee went into the wall.

“Unfortunately he has fractured ribs so is going to be out for about six weeks. He came out of hospital on Saturday night and is okay, it’s just quite sore.”

Francis had replaced James Stokoe, who had picked up a groin strain. Billy Maybury and Jack Lovell are also unlikely to feature when Wimborne host Frome Town on Tuesday (7.45pm).

“It’s that period that you start to get injuries and you have to be able to cope. With Lee out now it’s going to be a trying time,” said the Wimborne boss.

“But we have to pick ourselves up for Tuesday, look forward and hopefully the result on Saturday spurs us on.”

Magpies: Benfield, Lee, Davidson, Arnold, Oldring, Clarke, Stokoe (Francis, 68, Kellaway, 80), L Holmes (Owen 86), T Holmes, Burbidge, Young. Unused sub: Collins (g/k).