March Town United boss Whaley hopes players’ self-belief will grow after beating Wisbech Town
MARCH Town United boss Brett Whaley hopes Tuesday’s 3-2 derby win over Wisbech Town will give his new players the self-belief to make this season a success.
The Hares’ morale-boosting victory over the Fenmen - who play one league higher than March - gave Whaley a perfect start to his pre-season preparations after Saturday’s friendly with Blackstones fell foul of the weather.
March’s hard-fought win saw Whaley’s new-look side lift the BKD Cup in his first game since returning to the GER for his second spell as Hares boss.
Whaley said: “We are a long way further forward than I actually thought we were going to be at this stage.
“I don’t think it was rustiness in the first half that caused us a problem - we just gave Wisbech a little too much respect.
You may also want to watch:
“I think the lads at the start of the game didn’t believe they could win it so at half-time we told them to believe in themselves. The biggest positive from the win is the confidence that will come from it.”
Goals from Andy Wayte and a second-half brace from substitute Stu Anderson secured March’s win.
Most Read
- 1 Police officer sacked for racially abusing colleague at Christmas party
- 2 Bullying and insider trader claims pile up against former deputy leader
- 3 Historian who wrote 126 books and spent 64 years bellringing dies aged 90
- 4 BBC drama Casualty storyline to feature pelvic mesh implant scandal
- 5 Police hunt homemade go-kart ‘causing anti-social behaviour’
- 6 Trades group hears of alarming rise in shop worker abuse amid Covid
- 7 Fen farm on more than 200 acres of land up for sale for £2.2million
- 8 Rural crime police recover dog in ‘poor state’ while on site check
- 9 Spectators to be 'kept well away' when 85m chimneys come down
- 10 £1.5 million food store creates 12 jobs
However, the Hares’ victory owed much to summer signing ‘keeper Lea Jordan - facing his former Wisbech team-mates - who made at least five top-drawer saves in a sensational debut display.
Whaley said: “As the game went on Lea made saves that nobody else would. I said when we signed him we’d got the best ‘keeper around and I think his display proved it.
“I don’t want us to get ahead of ourselves because it’s only one game but it was definitely an encouraging start.”
March’s night was topped off by the unexpected return of inspirational captain Luke Pepper who came off the bench to play for the first time since injuring his knee in January.
However, flying winger Ash Brand looks doubtful to make the start of the season after missing the game with an abdominal problem.
