Marine manager Neil Young praised striker Sol Solomon after his double helped them to a 2-0 win over Whitby Town on Saturday.
The double opened up the strikers account for the club after arriving from Jersey Bulls last month.
It was far from a routine win for the Mariners as they had to weather an early onslaught from the Seasiders before Solomon combined with Charley Doyle for the opener then saw his deflected effort wrongfoot Shane Bland.
Solomon started alongside Crewe Alexandra loanee Connor Evans in the triumph and Young was pleased with how the pair impacted the game.
He told Off The Park: “I think Connor [Evans] ran his socks off, he never stopped running all game, didn’t have that many chances. Sol is why we brought Sol to the club, I think Sol seen it’s a lot harder in terms of the work rate you have to put in but he’s Johnny on spot, scored two goals, could’ve had a hat-trick even four.
“He’s had two other bits but them goals will come as he gets a bit fitter but he’s scored two goals and that’s why he’s been brought here.
“They’re both young lads and they want to do well. Obviously they want to do well for the football club, themselves, but if they do well in Connor’s case he goes back to Crewe and maybe gets in their first-team.
“Sol gets used to the levels, I’m sure he’s got bigger ideas once people start to realise how good of a player he is. I spoke to him as we were coming off, he knows himself it’s a step-up, not in terms of football – all this Step Eight stuff, if you’re good enough, you’re good enough – but fitness-wise, physicality as well but if he can get up to the level of fitness, which he will do, then we’ve got a player.”
MATCH REPORT: Marine 2-0 Whitby Town – Super Solomon sinks Seasiders
The win stretches their unbeaten run to six games, making it two wins this week after Hayden Campbell inspired a comeback win over Nantwich Town. His brace helped the Mariners come away from the Weaver Stadium with the points after going a goal behind.
Young admitted that his side have played better and lost matches this season but found the character of his side during the win pleasing.
“I think we’ve played much better than we have in the last two games and lost,” he added. “I think the difference is we took our chances on Tuesday and we took them here this afternoon. The games haven’t been much different, a little bit bitty but that’s the Northern Premier League, we dug deep, worked hard, kept a clean sheet and managed to get two goals.
“We started slowly, we started slowly the other night which we’ll have a look at but we gradually got in to the game. We changed our shape, got the goal which brought us more into the game, stopped them coming forward a little bit more.
“It’s this league, there’s no games – not that I’ve seen anyway – where someone absolutely football’s you and wins easily, you have to work hard, get in the trenches and try get on the right side of the result.”
Following on from his comments in midweek, the Marine boss insists that there are still improvements to be made after they were slow out of the blocks against Whitby.
“Massive improvements [to be made]. As I said at the very start, we’ve played better and lost but we’ve got six points, that’s what we aimed for – six unbeaten – it’s just building confidence, we’re a fairly young side, get a few players back.
“Our top goalscorer Hayden [Campbell] wasn’t available today, Joe Ferguson’s out, Mo Touray is due back any minute, Kielen [Adams] was on the bench. What we set out at the start of the season with the squad to be bigger to allow us to make changes and have injuries, similar to last year, that’s where we’re at this year.
“There will be many games like that this year, not just here, I think everywhere, it might change with a bit more quality when the games ease off, everyone’s got to remember the amount of football these part-time lads have played in a very short space of time.
“I think we kicked off August 13th and now we’re in mid-October so that’s nine weeks and we’ve played 16 games with the cup games which is bizarre so we’re going to lose some quality. If the Premier League clubs are moaning that you’re going to lack quality with two games in a week, well, part-time level with lads working, it’s going to happen here as well.”
[Featured Image: Karl Dunkerley]
