‘It’s easy to be intimidated when you play Paulsgrove … this was a big three points’

Danny Thompson praised the strength of his squad after Infinity had seen off Paulsgrove in a highly-competitive HPL derby at Knowle Village.
Ryan Llewellyn, left, came into the Infinity side at the weekend - here he's seen tackling Paulsgrove's Jake Warlow. Pic: Ian Hargreaves.Ryan Llewellyn, left, came into the Infinity side at the weekend - here he's seen tackling Paulsgrove's Jake Warlow. Pic: Ian Hargreaves.
Ryan Llewellyn, left, came into the Infinity side at the weekend - here he's seen tackling Paulsgrove's Jake Warlow. Pic: Ian Hargreaves.

He had been forced to make four changes from the squad that had drawn 2-2 at table-topping Bush Hill the week before.

Josh Oxlade, Jake Bull and Chay Dugan had all started against Bush, with Charlie Cooper among the subs.

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But they were all unavailable against Paulsgrove, so in came Ryan Llewellyn at centre half, Josh Cripps at left back and Wayne Boud in midfield.

‘I felt we fully deserved our victory,’ said Thompson. ‘The early goal obviously helped, and I always felt quite comfortable.

‘It’s easy to be intimidated when you play Paulsgrove as they always stick together and work hard. Against that we needed to let our football to the talking, and we did that.

‘This was a big three points for us.

‘We were missing four big players, but that’s why we’ve got the squad we’ve got.

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‘Wayne Boud came in and was man of the match, while Ryan Llewellyn and Luke Middleton were superb in the centre of defence.

‘Up front, Jamie White is just quality - we’re lucky to have someone like him.’

Paulsgrove boss Wayne Grant agrees. ‘Jamie was the difference,’ he said. ‘We created chances but didn’t take them, and Jamie took three.

‘It was a good game, but I think 3-0 flattered them a bit.’

Paulsgrove were also minus three players who had appeared in their previous game - keeper Taylor Revy, John Cripps - ‘our best player in recent weeks’ - and Craig Ralph. In addition, striker Danny Lane - who recently returned to the club - was unavailable through work commitments.

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Grant admits Paulsgrove’s title ambitions have gone, adding: ‘I hope Infinity go on and win it.

‘I think they only game they could lose is when they come to our place.

‘It’s been a total rebuild for us this season, and at the start I said we’d be happy with top six. That hasn’t changed.’