Double strike maintains rampant Robins' run (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Double strike maintains rampant Robins' run

RESURGENT Downton made it ten points from the last 12 when they saw off Thatcham Town at Wick Lane on Saturday, moving them closer to safety.

The win, allied to victories over Blackfield & Langley and Cowes Sports and a draw at AFC Totton, put further distance between the Robins and bottom club Whitchurch and gives them hope of overhauling the sides directly above them.

Overjoyed boss Mitch Blake told Journal Sport: "We want to be looking forward instead of over our shoulder and the whole team seems to have turned the corner. They are very confident and a lot of that is down to the work that Steve Adlam (assistant manager) does behind the scenes.

"They then assimilate what I tell them and everyone does their job on the pitch. Brian White and the Lumber brothers, Nick and Dan, have really come out of their shells and started to give what I believed they were capable of. Adam Newman signed from Fordingbridge so he is in a much tougher league now, but he has proved his worth in the reserves and earned his chance."

Blake added: "Steve (Adlam) has always maintained that Chris King has the ability to play at this level, and now he is demonstrating that and taking the pressure off Matt Guy up front, which is tremendous."

It was Guy who broke the deadlock in the 47th minute when he put in the rebound from Newman's shot which had been cleared off the line.

Then Mark Savage's header was deflected in by a Thacham player for an own goal to give Downton breathing space on 55 minutes.

The Robins are on the road in the next week, travelling to Brockenhurst's Grigg Lane on Saturday and Portland United on Tuesday.

Ben Smith is still suspended and Neal Archer is a doubt, but Calvin Cranmer could return.

Robins' reserves lost 5-1 at AFC Totton reserves.

They entertain Moneyfields reserves on Saturday, then Andover reserves on Wednes-day.