Widdrington at the double as high-flying Gosport Borough respond to half-time rollicking to beat Tiverton in Southern League Premier South

Borough had come from 2-3 down to beat Poole Town 4-3 on the opening day and a fortnight earlier had conceded the first goal before defeating Yate Town 2-1 at Privett Park.

This time they trailed 1-0 to Tiverton at the interval to a goal from striker Matt Wright before a vastly-improved second half saw them net three times.

Tiverton reduced the arrears with virtually the last kick of the game as second-placed Gosport’s win saw them cut the gap on leaders Hayes & Yeading to three points.

‘At half-time we had to regroup, I got into them - for the first time this season - and they responded.

‘We started ok, first 10/15, but then were nowhere near it. They hit a big striker up front (Wright) and everything went through him. We allowed him to dictate things in the first half.’

Gale made two changes shortly after the break, with Joe Lea switching from midfield to replace league debutant Harlain Mbayo at right back and Brad Tarbuck coming on for Nick Dembele.

The switches had the desired effect with Widdrington, on loan from Hawks, nutmegging an opponent before cutting inside and hitting a shot into the top corner on 56 minutes.

Widdrington netted again 15 minutes from time, converting a penalty after Harvey Rew’s shot was spilled by the Tivvy goalkeeper. Lea latched onto the loose ball but was brought down and Widdrington did the rest.

Dan Wooden, back in the team after missing the FA Cup loss at Yate through injury, increased the advantage on 87 minutes with his first goal since the curtain-raising victory against Poole.

‘It’s important we keep ticking off the win,’ said Gale, whose side host rock bottom Wimborne on Wednesday.

‘The standard in this league is good, anyone can beat anyone. ‘It’s a big, tough league, you have to be on your game all the time and in the first half (against Tiverton) we weren’t nowhere near it.

‘We have won games this season by outworking the opposition and then using our quality to score some good goals.’

Gale could soon have some selection headaches as his injured players return.

‘I’d say Matt Paterson is four/five weeks away, Harry Kavanagh a bit less, Mike Carter has just started running again,’ he reported.

‘When everyone is available it could be that one or two of the young lads will go out on loan, but this is a tough league and you need a decent squad.

‘You have to be competitive in every game, and so far we have been.’

Centre half Matt Casey missed the Tiverton game through a groin injury but should be in contention for Wimborne’s visit.

The Dorset club have only won one of their seven league games so far. That was a shock 2-0 victory at Salisbury when Lewis Beale - once on loan to US Portsmouth from Eastleigh - netted twice.