Whaley salutes ‘best win of season’ as depleted March Town United reach cup semi-final

Ridgeons First Division Knockout Cup Quarter-Final: Thetford Town 0 March Town United 1

MARCH Town United boss Brett Whaley has saluted his depleted squad after they stunned Thetford Town in the Ridgeons First Division Knockout Cup.

Injuries, work commitments and suspensions meant the Hares only had 12 players for their quarter-final trip to a side who had won their previous game 9-0.

They were even forced to bring in full back Louie Medwynter on an emergency loan from Huntingdon Town.

But Whaley’s troops pulled off an incredible 1-0 victory, prompting the delighted manager to hail it as their “best win of the season”.

He said: “The fact we only had 12 players makes the win even more sweet. They ran themselves into the ground.

“The last couple of days have been an absolute nightmare - I feel like I’ve spent them all on the phone trying to get a team together.

“When you have days like that you wonder why you do it, but by 10pm I’d remembered why. It wasn’t just a backs-to-the-wall performance, we matched them.”

Ondre Odain got March’s winner shortly after the hour-mark, rising at the far post to head home a Gav Cooke free-kick. Thetford also had a man sent off in the closing stages.

Whaley said: “After the goal I thought it was going to be like The Alamo but we defended so well and stopped them playing. In the end, their frustrations got the better of them.

“This could be a bit of a spring board for us because it gives us that injection of belief. The only thing that stops us being a top side is consistency.”

March sit third in the Ridgeons First Division after a 1-0 defeat to Cambridge University Press at the weekend. They host Swaffham Town on Saturday.