MATTY Holmes heralded the resolve shown by Wimborne Town after they battled to a hard-fought win against Staines Town.

Wimborne clung on to a 1-0 advantage at Cuthbury despite a late surge from the Southern League South strugglers.

A fine save in second-half stoppage time from goalkeeper Gerard Benfield proved crucial, after James Stokoe had given Magpies the lead just before half-time.

Stokoe steered into the bottom corner from Franklyn Clarke's left-wing cross, a goal which gave Wimborne a fourth straight win at Cuthbury and lifted them to 15th in the table.

Boss Holmes told the Daily Echo: "Gerard made a great save at the end to get us the three points but we missed good chances. Their keeper made three or four decent saves.

"It was a great game. Both teams tried to play. We knew Staines were quite young and technically very good and we had to be very careful of the counter-attack.

"In this league you need everyone to work together. The midfielders need to track runners and they did that. They covered so much ground. You need defenders blocking shots and putting a real shift in.

"I am proud of their efforts to get a clean sheet. If you get a clean sheet at this level, you have got a great chance of getting three points because we will definitely score goals.

"We have not been getting a lot of results on the road so there has been pressure to get results at home and I was very pleased with how the boys stuck to the task against a good Staines team."

Toby Holmes returned to the starting XI and was denied on several occasions by excellent work from Staines goalkeeper Louis Dixon.

A double substitution in the 70th minute, with striker Steve Flynn on for his Magpies debut and Billy Maybury back from injury, helped to secure the win.

"There were a lot of great performances," said manager Holmes. "We had a bench to make changes for the first time this season, although that's no disrespect to the young lads we have had.

"Steve Flynn made a real impact and Billy Maybury coming in at the back changed the shape.

"We are delighted to get three points. In games gone by, we have played so well and got nothing out of them. At Basingstoke, Farnborough and Weymouth we played just as well and got nothing.

"We tidied up our little errors and when Gerard was needed he produced a great save. That is what it is all about at this level. You are not going to get 90 minutes of free-flowing football all your own way.

"Whether teams are at the bottom or the top, they are going to get chances and then your big players need to deliver."

Magpies: Benfield, Penny, Hester, Davidson, Oldring, Clarke, Stokoe, L Holmes, T Holmes, Burbidge (Flynn, 70), Young (Maybury, 70). Unused subs: Arnold, Lee, Collins (g/k).