MALMESBURY manager Simon Winstone heaped praise on his players after they finally notched up their first league victory of the season.

Vics had gone 13 league matches without a win, picking up just one point along the way, but finally got the monkey off their back with a 5-1 triumph over New College Swindon last weekend.

“You obviously don’t expect it to take until the last three or four weeks for us to gel but when things aren’t going well, it can be easy for players to jump ship,” said Winstone.

“But they’ve stuck together and got their reward – I’m chuffed to bits. We’ve had a massive improvement recently and the players have been fantastic.”

Vics’ Flying Monk Ground was flooded recently and Winstone added: “Everyone at the club has been brilliant in helping clean up the clubhouse and the chairman (Phil Exton) and his son have been down there almost 24/7.

“We even had former players come in to help sweep up last week.”

Max Sparrow, Ant Brown (penalty), Ant Packer, Chris Salt and Joe Dorey netted for the Vics.