PEWSEY Vale enjoyed a joyous journey back from the Isle of Wight last weekend as they celebrated getting back to winning ways in the Sydenhams League Division One in style.

Maggs’ men were on cloud nine as they finally notched up their first league win since the opening weekend of the season, hammering East Cowes Victoria 9-0.

Tom Ritchie handed himself the perfect birthday gift as he fired home a hat-trick whilst Ricky Franklin netted twice.

Dan Sloan, Amara Holgate, Lewis Brown and Kias Bonner-Shea were all also on target as Vale hit the goal trail.

“It definitely made the trip home a lot sweeter. It was Tom Ritchie’s birthday, so he already had something to celebrate, and we had a few drinks on the ferry and when we got back to the clubhouse,” said Maggs.

“In the last few weeks, you could feel that something like this was coming. The level of performances had been getting better.

“We went there hoping that we could get something because of the amount of goals they’d been conceding and when we got there, you could tell that the boys were up for it.

“It was probably the first time that I’d had my strongest squad available and I was able to just sit on the bench and let the guys get on with it.

“We went about it the right way and it was a good performance from the Pewsey boys.”

Vale currently find themselves tenth in the Division One table and will go looking to build on their demolition of East Cowes when they make the trip to struggling Downton next weekend.

The Robins are second-bottom and have yet to pick up a victory in their seven league outings so far.

Chief Maggs added: “With all respect to East Cowes, they weren’t the greatest side, so it’s important that we don’t get overconfident.

“We can’t go into next weekend thinking that it’s going to be easy again. Hopefully, I should have everybody available again too.”

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