Downham boss praises players after Brantham win

Downham Town boss Dale Stokes was full of praise for his players after their 3-1 win in Saturday’s huge six-pointer at Brantham Athletic.The club’s fourth win on the bounce puts them right in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division title mix and lifts them to second in the table.Speaking after the game, Stokes said: “I’m delighted with the three points today. They’re in decent form and looking to get the top spot with games in hand, so it was always going to be tricky.”Add to that we were playing on what was an absolute mud bath, so to come away with the win and how we have done it, was extremely pleasing.”Their keeper has prevented it from being five or six and in all honesty we were relatively untroubled for large parts of the game between our own posts.”Dylan Edge scored twice in Suffolk and Jake Miller scored the other with James Lee replying for the hosts.”We started well and on the front foot and had a chance inside five minutes, which was well saved,” said the Downham boss. “After about 15, the keeper has shanked a clearance and it’s come to Jake Miller, who has then hit it first time from just inside their half, flown over the keeper to give us the lead. “Charlie (Royle) then had a good effort tipped onto the post and we had a couple of other attempts that came to nothing.”We had a stonewall penalty turned down after their lad has gone straight through the back of Matty Castellan, but the ref decided against it.”At the other end, Harry (Sutton) was a spectator for large parts. “In the second half, we were slow to come out and they’d made a couple of changes, which credit to them had a positive impact before we had a chance to adapt to it.”We got caught a couple of times over playing in the wrong areas and it allowed them to gain some momentum. They scored from a free header and pulled it level early in the half. “It was frustrating after a controlled first period where we were comfortably the better side.”Once we got to grips with the game and settled back down, we slowly regained control, but they did have us under pressure for a good 15 minutes. “From there on it was one-way traffic as we grabbed a second and third after great work by Charlie to feed Dylan (Edge) on both occasions.”The last 10 we just managed it where we could and actually should have put it to bed with some better decisions, but it was game over anyway.”The Downham boss felt his side’s physicality was key against a side they will host in a fortnight in the reverse fixture.”It’s a tough place to go and they’re effective at what they do, so it’s a big win for us,” said Stokes. “We have them again in a couple of weeks in a midweek fixture, no doubt that’s going to be another battle as they never make it easy for you.”They’re a big, physical side and if you don’t match their work rate and intensity, they will 100 per cent punish you for that. Today was a massive effort from our lads and they got their rewards, so I’m pleased for them all.”Next weekend, Downham Town entertain Harleston Town at the Memorial Field.