MANAGER Brett Whaley is hoping that some of the 171 fans who filled the GER on Saturday will return after they got to watch March Town United outclass the league’s top scorers.

There were new faces in the crowd at the weekend as the Hares’ free entry offer resulted in their highest Ridgeons First Division attendance for some time.

And the fans were not disappointed as two smart finishes from in-form striker Ondre Odain and a 25-yard screamer from Adam Rothery gave March an incredible 3-1 victory over Halstead Town.

Whaley said: “I think people will have gone away and thought, you know what, they’re actually a good side to watch.

“Fair play to the club. We had a chat a few weeks ago when we played in front of 35 or whatever it was. That wasn’t good enough and we knew it wasn’t good enough. The club had to show some initiative and they have.

“If anybody came today, who had never come to watch us before, I can’t imagine they’ve gone away and thought there’s not much to watch because we’ve played some good football.

“Our first goal and our last goal were outstanding. That’s as good as you’re going to see.”

The result sees the Hares reclaim second place after their 3-2 defeat to Fakenham Town last week - and Whaley said he was particularly happy with the manner of the victory.

“After losing last week, we just needed to get a result,” he said. “If we’d have won a scrappy 1-0 we’d have taken it but I thought first half we played the best football we’ve played all season.

“We kept the ball really well. Just take the first goal, we’ve worked it from our right back and we’ve opened a side up. We’re capable of doing that and we haven’t done it often enough.

“We deserved it, and I thought we were really good. They’re a good side and they’re the leading scorers in the league, yet they got a disputed penalty and that’s all.

“We can’t take anything for granted, but when we go out and play like that, the players must go home and think ‘they’re a top six side, the top scorers in the league and we’ve just played them off the park’.

“If they can do that to them, they should be doing that to anybody. The test will be next week against Cornard United, who are near the bottom. Can you still play that football against a side who are struggling?

March travel to second-bottom Cornard on Saturday.