WHILE he felt an 8-0 scoreline maybe flattered his own team a little, Brightlingsea Regent Reserves' boss Lee Clark was delighted to see his players find their clinical edge against Braintree Town Reserves.

It was a fruitful day for Regent as they matched the scoreline they achieved against Wivenhoe Town last month and achieved their fourth Thurlow Nunn League division one south victory of the season.

Hat-tricks came from Charlie Gilbert and Charlie Lindoe as well as one apiece for Alexis Pryke and Alex Taylor and Clark was pleased that his players showed their ruthless side in front of goal.

“The result was a little bit flattering if I’m being honest," he said.

“Braintree are a quality outfit and I felt they were the best team we had faced this year when we played them at their place.

“They get the ball down and play properly, which is nice to see.

“So I feel a bit sorry for them (after this result), but it was a nice day for us and one we enjoyed.

“We were clinical with our chances on the day and maybe that’s something we have lacked a little bit.

“But it came together for us on the day and our boys deserved credit because they have worked very hard for a long time."

It has been a tough first season in senior football for Brightlingsea's reserves after stepping up from the Essex and Suffolk Border League last year and they have spent a lot of the campaign so far sat in the lower part of the table.

But Clark, who has previously coached at Border League clubs Gas Recreation and Alresford Colne Rangers, as well as at fellow division one south side Wivenhoe Town, feels they are going about things the right way.

And he is glad that his players are showing they can push their way into first-team boss Tom Rothery's thinking.

Clark added: “It has been a new thing for the club with us coming into this level this year.

“We jumped up two levels to be here and have brought in a new team really, but the pleasing thing is that we are doing it properly.

“We are going from A teams, to reserves and then first-team.

“The whole of our squad is 18 to 21 and they are doing well; they’re doing exactly what we ask.

“They are training hard and we’ve had a few go on to play for the first team, so it’s going well, especially for such an early project.

“I work closely with Tom (Rothery) and he’s been very good in helping me out as a person and as a manager."

The big wins against Braintree and Wivenhoe in the last month show that his players are moving in the right direction and Clark is clear about the team's aims rest of the season.

He said: “For most of the season, we have been at the bottom, but as long as we can stay out of the bottom two, keep picking up results and getting these boys on into the first team then that will have been a successful first season for me."