Stone praise for hat-trick hero O'Connor as Doughboys stretch unbeaten run to seven matches
Jake Stone was delighted with his team's dominant performance at Lichfield City on Saturday as Wellingborough Town stretched their unbeaten run in the Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division to seven matches.
The Doughboys made it five wins out of six as they emerged 3-0 winners thanks to a remarkable second-half hat-trick of headers in the space of just 11 minutes from skipper Jack O'Connor.
The central defender broke the deadlock after 57 minutes, doubled his tally with another six minutes later and then added a third on 68 minutes to secure the points.
The win lifts the Doughboys up to seventh in the table and to within two points of the play-off places, and a happy Stone said: "It was a really good away performance.
"Lichfield have been in the top five or six pretty much all season, so to come away with a convincing win was really pleasing.
"We actually had more chances in the first half than the second, and we probably should have gone in at half-time with at least a 3-0 lead, by taking half of our chances.
"But the second‑half hat-trick from Skip (O'Connor) was unbelievable really.
"To score from three set plays and for him to get on the end of all of them is some achievement.
"It also shows that if we don’t quite put away our chances from open play, we have the capability to score in other ways , which is a really positive thing to have."
O'Connor has been a key man for Borough all season, and Stone was eager to praise his captain.
"Skip is phenomenal, and he has been for me for years," said the Doughboys boss. "He doesn’t get enough credit from the outside for what a tremendous player he really is.
"He’s not a captain who gives big, loud speeches, but he leads by example on the pitch and puts everything on the line for me and for his team-mates."
Borough now have a free midweek before they entertain second-placed Belper Town at the Dog & Duck on Saturday (ko 3pm).