Stone delighted as Doughboys deliver deserved win against champions-elect Carlton Town
Jake Stone felt his players got exactly what they deserved as Wellingborough Town stunned runaway Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division leaders Carlton Town at the Dog & Duck on Saturday.
A week on from suffering a heartbreaking last-gasp defeat to second-placed Belper Town, the Doughboys made no mistake against the champions-elect, with Danny Draper's 61st-minute strike enough to secure a crucial 1-0 victory.
It was a first defeat in 13 matches for Carlton, with the win lifting Borough up to sixth in the table, just one place and one point outside the promotion play-off places.
And Stone felt the win was the least his players deserved after the disappointment they suffered at the hands of Belper, when after playing well they were beaten 3-1 with the visitors scoring twice in stoppage time at the end of the game.
"We managed to approach the game the same way as we did against Belper," Stone told @doughboys_wtfc.
"In the first half in that game we were excellent, especially in the first half hour, and that gave me confidence that as long as we took that approach into Saturday, but made it last longer than a half, then we were going to be alright.
"Sometimes you say these things to the lads and it doesnt always resonate or come off, but we just did exactly that I thought we were brilliant from moment one to the end.
"I think we should have been at least 2-0 up maybe 3-0, in the first half, and then I was concerned where the Belper thing was going to happen again when we never really capitalised on a brilliant first half.
"In the end we had to deal with a lot of long balls into the box, but that is part and parcel of any game, and then we managed to the real bit of quality through Tommo (Connor Tomlinson) and Drapes for the goal, and that was the bare minimum we deserved.
"If we hadn't won that game then it would have been a farce, and I am so pleased for the lads that they stuck to it, they have won and they have got their rewards.
"Against Belper we were easily the best team in the first half and should have come away with at least a draw, and when you look at both games on paper against the teams in first and second and say you have three points, then I don't think that's a bad return.
"I am really pleased, I am pleased for the lads for the work they put in, and Carlton are a good side.
"They have got some good players, but I would like to think that was one of their toughest games of the season and they will have gone away thinking we are a good side. And that is honestly what I believe, that we are a good side."
The Doughboys are due to be back in action on Tuesday night when they travel to 17th-placed Coventry Sphinx (ko 7.45pm), and Stone says it is vital his team back up their win over a Carlton side that is sitting 15 points clear at the top of the Midlands Division.
"Sphinx away is always a tough game and the lads have to realise that nothing is a given," said Stone. "It will be really tough.
"We always seem to go over there on a Tuesday night, and we haven't won.
"It is going to be difficult, it'll be hard, but we will patch a few people up and go again, because if we don't back up Saturday's win with a good performance on a Tuesday then it all feels like it's not been worthwhile."