‘I got the reaction I wanted’ – Baffins Milton Rovers boss Thompson following Wessex League victory over Alresford
Thompson confessed Rovers had ‘got away with one’ in scoring twice late on to beat city rivals US Portsmouth in a midweek Wessex League fixture.
So with that in mind, the performance was as important as the three points in a 4-1 home win over the Magpies.
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Hide AdThompson freshened his starting XI up, pairing teenage pair Harvey Welham and Harry Fox in central midfield.
He also switched to a 3-5-2 formation to get more attack-minded players on the pitch - Kelvin Robinson and Brad Lethbridge up front with Miles Everett and Dillon North also included.
It was the latter pair who grabbed the first two goals as Rovers stormed into a 3-0 lead inside 38 minutes.
Robinson converted a penalty for the third after he had been brought down by the Alresford keeper.
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Hide AdSub Liam Brewer added a fourth late on before Alresford, losing for the 19th league game in succession, bagged a consolation.
Thompson told The News: ‘It was much better (than against USP). The performance was important, I got the reaction I wanted from Tuesday.
‘I was looking for a decent performance and that’s what I got.
‘No disrespect to Alresford, they’re bottom for a reason, but I told the lads afterwards you can only beat what’s in front of you.’
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Hide AdThompson admitted his team selection was made with ‘one eye’ on Tuesday’s Premier Division trip to promotion hopefuls Horndean.
Centre half Ed Sanders - one of Rovers’ most experienced players - was one of five second half subs used.
Completing a good day for Baffins, the club’s reserve team moved to the top of the Hampshire Combination East Division with a 4-1 win at Clanfield.
It was an eighth successive league victory since former Paulsgrove boss Steve Ledger took over a few weeks into the season.
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Hide AdTyler Moret and his younger brother Morgan were among the scores, along with centre half Louie O’Brien and Dan Aitken.
‘I still think the players have got an extra couple of gears to go through,’ Ledger told The News.
‘The first half (at Clanfield) was one to forget, the players were too busy arguing with themselves and the officials. There were a few stern words at half-time.’
Rovers have now scored 38 goals in Ledger’s eight league games, conceding just three.