Wickens full of praise following impressive Newbury performance

Ben Wickens said he was “really impressed” with his Newbury side in their 5-2 win over rivals Mortimer on Saturday.

Newbury were 4-0 up at half time following a dominant first half display and Wickens admits the coaching staff are always focussed on a fast start.

"We always want to get out early and attack teams from the off," he said.

"We are very structured during the warm-up, especially at home.

"We have a laugh for 10 minutes and then everyone knows when to switch on and concentrate and that's played a big part in our success this season."

The prolific partnership of George Armstrong and Jake Allan linked up for three of Newbury's five goals at the weekend – taking their combined tally for the season to 36.

"They've been fantastic this season," Wickens said.

"They both know their roles well and when they link up it's a nightmare for defenders.

"They're both young local lads who just love playing football."

Mortimer halved the deficit to 4-2 after the break and Wickens felt his side let complacency seep into their second half showing, but was pleased with how his charges responded and dealt with the resulting pressure.

He said: "I think we thought the game was over.

"Credit to Mortimer, they put us under pressure and gave us something to think about.

"We had to adjust a couple of roles and made some changes and in the end I was pleased with how we settled and dealt with the situation."

Carl Jenner was a commanding and calming presence in the first half before a blip after the break but Wickens was full of praise for Newbury's skipper.

"Carl's great at reading the game," he said.

"It was clear we got a bit too relaxed during the second half and that was frustrating for Carl and he made that clear.

"He's the captain for a reason and we trust him to help us through those situations on the pitch.

"Showing frustration shows he cares."

Newbury have won all 15 of their Hellenic League Division 2 East matches but Wickens insists he's focused on winning the league and that his side aren't thinking about the potential prospect of an unbeaten season.

He said: "To go unbeaten in the league is a huge achievement at any level.

"Trying to be the best team in the league comes down to a lot more than just what goes on on the pitch.

"It's something we haven't really talked about.

"Of course it's in the back of our minds but we just take it one game at a time.

"Winning the league is the priority."

Wickens was brought into the club in the summer to work on the players' fitness but soon became central to Newbury's plans and has since stepped seamlessly into a coaching role.

"As soon as it became clear what a great bunch we had I just had to stay involved," he said.

"I'm really enjoying it and I've learned a lot."