Infinity boss Wheatcroft reflects on opening win at Hayling: We only played 60-70 per cent like I know we can

Gary Wheatcroft hailed ex-pro Jamie White for his is role in Infinity’s opening Hampshire Premier League win of the season.
Danny Phillips, left, scored his 86th goal for Infinity since the start of 2017/18 in Tuesday's 4-1 win at Hayling.  Picture: Chris MoorhouseDanny Phillips, left, scored his 86th goal for Infinity since the start of 2017/18 in Tuesday's 4-1 win at Hayling.  Picture: Chris Moorhouse
Danny Phillips, left, scored his 86th goal for Infinity since the start of 2017/18 in Tuesday's 4-1 win at Hayling. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

Playing in the No 10 role behind lone striker Danny Phillips, White turned in a man of the match performance in a 4-1 win at Hayling United.

It was a display capped with a fine goal - curling a direct free-kick over the wall and past keeper Chris Clark for his 92nd league and cup goal for Infinity since the start of 2018/19.

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‘Jamie worked his socks off,’ said Wheatcroft. ‘He was on his game, he was our man of the match - and his free kick was different class.

‘He’s a former professional, he knows what is expected of him.’

White impressed in Wheatcroft’s 4-2-3-1 formation, with Wayne Boud (right side) and Yusupha Badjie either side of him.

Badjie played for Baffins Milton reserves last season, while second half sub Junior Kamara made a handful of first XI appearances for Baffins in 2019/20.

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Goalkeeper Anton Blake is another with Portsmouth connections, having recently signed from Moneyfields.

‘There were a lot of positives,’ said Wheatcroft, ‘but it’s only one game.

‘It was a good win, though - Hayling will turn over a lot of teams this season, they will take points off top teams.

‘We only played 60 or 70 per cent like we had been playing in pre-season, and we had a few players missing.

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‘Hayling had their tails up going into the game, but once we went 2-1 up I knew there was only going to be one winner.’

Seven of Wheatcroft’s starting XI at Hayling College were regulars last season - meaning early fears that the squad would break up once ex-boss Danny Thompson had resigned in early April were to prove unfounded.

Blake and Badjie were two of the new signings, with a new-look central defensive pairing of Richard Sibley and Gary Fitzhorswell as well.

The latter pair didn’t have an easy evening by any means, but Hayling were unable to seriously test Blake at all after Sam Neal’s superb curling shot had brought them an early equaliser.

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At the other end, the pacy Phillips was a constant menace to Hayling’s three-man central defensive unit of Dan Clasby, skipper Luke Wheatcroft and Toby Wilson.

Like White, he is no stranger to finding the back of the net - his second half strike was his 86th in league and cup action for Infinity since the start of 2017/18.

The two of them will take some stopping again, if the evidence of the first game at Hayling is anything to go by ...