It's all going Wright for Gosport
Two goals from new striker Ben Wright and one from another newcomer Chris Flood earned Borough a deserved win against the Shots.
The only disappointment for Pike was that Borough switched off after scoring their third goal to concede at the other end.
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Hide Ad‘Pre-season results don’t mean much but I thought we put in a good performance,’ said Pike.
‘I saw some of the fruits of the hard work put in during the summer.
‘Since the end of last season I don’t think there is another manager who has worked as hard as I have to bring players in.
‘I have covered over three-and-a-half-thousand miles working to sign these players.
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Hide Ad‘One swallow doesn’t make a summer but I have to be really pleased.
‘I have been around long enough not to read too much into these games but there were a lot of positives.
‘This is when partnerships are forged and that is what I saw out there.’
Goalkeeper Martin Rice, signed from Truro City, made a very good debut with two excellent saves in the opening 25 minutes.
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Hide AdHe blocked one good effort from Iffy Allen but did even better in the 21st minute.
Nick Arnold’s free-kick from the edge of the area was heading for the bottom corner.
Rice, however, went full-length to turn the ball behind for the corner.
Wrght then showed his class as Gosport took control of the match.
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Hide AdHe gave Borough a 25th-minute lead, curling in an exquisite free-kick from the edge of the area.
A minute before the break he latched onto a superb 40-yard ball from TJ Cuthbertson to divert the ball past the stranded keeper inside the area.
‘Ben Wright did exactly what I wanted him to do and was a battering ram up front,’ said Pike.
‘He also produced a couple of quality finishes.
‘There were a number of stand out performances out there.
‘Our goalkeeper made a couple of crucial saves and Chris Flood’s touches in and around the box were excellent.
‘Joe Oastler at the back was also outstanding.’
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Hide AdBorough’s third goal in the 65th minute was superbly crafted.
Sam Lanahan played a clever ball between two defenders to set Josh Carmichael free down the right.
Carmichael made good ground before sending in an inch-perfect cross which Flood swept into the net.
Within a minute the Shots got one back as Matt McCure headed home.
GOSPORT BOROUGH: Rice, Cuthbertson, Bird, Carter, Oastler, Pearce, Dawson, Harding, Flood, Wright, Bentley. Subs: Lanahan, Brice, Carmichael, Wooden, Wilde