Baffins Milton Rovers living up to manager Shaun Wilkinson's expectations as Christchurch triumph takes them up to second

Shaun Wilkinson lauded Baffins Milton Rovers' strong start to the season but stressed: This is what I expected.
Substitute Tommy Scutt struck twice in Baffins Milton Rovers' latest league victory. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 200521-25)Substitute Tommy Scutt struck twice in Baffins Milton Rovers' latest league victory. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 200521-25)
Substitute Tommy Scutt struck twice in Baffins Milton Rovers' latest league victory. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 200521-25)

Baffins made it four Wessex League Premier Division matches undefeated with a thumping 4-0 victory over Christchurch at the PMC Stadium.

It saw Wilkinson's troops climb up to second in the table having collected 10 points from a possible 12 in the league so far.

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But despite what has been a storming start to the campaign, the Baffins boss revealed he had earmarked to be in this position before they had kicked a ball this term.

Wilkinson said: ‘We won’t get carried away, it’s just a good start at the minute, the points haul we’ve got so far is exactly what I thought we’d get. The lads are performing to the levels I’d expected of them.

‘We are a lot better than what we were last year. The difficult thing for me and a lot of managers at this level is getting the players up for games like yesterday.

‘There were about 20 or 30 people in the ground compared to the 500 against Moneyfields because you had Victorious, Goodwood and it’s a bank holiday weekend, so the lads had to create their own atmosphere.

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‘Their attitudes and work rate so far this season have been absolutely spot on and I can’t sing their praises enough.’

Baffins had to wait until 15 minutes from time before they finally made the breakthrough, though.

Striker Jason Parish was the man to get it which started a flurry of goals for the home side.

Tommy Scutt, introduced as a second half substitute, doubled Baffins' advantage two minutes later before his screamer made it 3-0 three minutes from time.

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There was still time for Callum Smith to add a fourth in stoppage time as Rovers romped to victory in the end.

And Wilkinson was pleased to his side's patience pay off against a defensive Christchurch team.

He said: ‘It was always a case of as soon as that first one went in then it was going to flow.

‘Credit to the lads, they stuck at it, it was getting frustrating at times, we had to be patient and not force the ball.

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‘In the end, Jason Parish put one in off his knee and after that it flowed and the next three shots we had went in.

‘In the end the scoreline reflects the game, but they probably got off lightly with a 4-0, I would say.’

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