March Town boss heaps praise on striker after five goals in two games against Dussindale and Hellesdon and Newport Pagnell
March Town striker Craig Gillies has been praised by Hares boss Ashley Taylor for his "hunger" in front of goal.
The 32-year-old found the back of the net five times over the bank holiday weekend as the Hares recorded two big wins.
Gillies struck a hat-trick during Saturday's 5-2 victory over Dussindale and Hellesdon in the FA Vase and followed it up with a brace as the Hares won 3-1 at Newport Pagnell in the United Counties League Division South on Bank Holiday Monday.
Speaking about the player who first played under him at Doddington early in his career, Taylor said: "Craig is still so hungry to score goals.
"We had a chat at the start of the season as he played with an injury towards the back end of last season. I explained that he'd have to be patient and be more of a squad player at times.
"He's never been that since he's been here, he has always started the games but he took that on board and when he comes on the pitch he scores.
"He was our top goalscorer today before scoring a hat-trick so he's been excellent and his attitude with dealing with that kind of situation which he has never had to deal with before has been exemplary from him.
"That's what he does, score goals. He just has that desire to put the ball into the back of the net."
March took an eighth-minute lead against their Norwich-based opponents with Matty Foy’s first goal of the season.
The Hares included former player Flo Tsaguim in their starting line-up after spells at Wisbech St Mary, Wisbech Town, King’s Lynn Town and Royston Town.
Craig Gillies scored the second goal for the home side in the 37th minute, his third of the campaign so far.
Rovers pulled one back early in the second half but a second for Gillies made it 3-1 on the hour before he completed his hat-trick four minutes later. He was then subbed for Joe Rider.
Tsaguim scored the Hares’ fifth before Rovers pulled another one back.
"At 2-1 that could have been a tricky 10 minutes but our reaction after conceding was excellent and that's what I wanted to see," said Taylor.
"It was nice to score five times as I think it has been quite clear that we haven't been scoring enough goals.
"We've been creating so many chances this season but just haven't been converting so to do that today was great and will give us so much confidence going forward.
"I knew with what we've got it was going to click but obviously at the start of the season it has been a little bit chop and change with holidays and injuries, we've never had a consistent team.
"Today we had six senior players who would normally start missing so we've had to bring some players in.
"Pep (Luke Pepper) has played today, we've brought some players in from the reserves. Sean White has come in, Kyle Sharman an under-18 has made his first senior appearance for us so there have been lots of opportunities for that to happen."
The FA Vase is a competition that the Hares boss would like to see his side go a long way in.
"The last couple of years that we've been in this competition we have not performed in it," he said.
"I said to the players before the game that there is an opportunity to potentially get and play at Wembley.
"I know people will think it's crazy but if there's an opportunity then it can happen.
"For me, from a motivational point of view for a player every game in this competition you've got to have that in your mind.
"If you win then you take another step. Newport Pagnell have done it twice and they're in our league.
"I think the year they got to the final and lost we played them and I think we drew with them and beat them so it's not unrealistic.
"It's all the Step 5 clubs in the country but you've got to have that kind of belief and thought process of what if."
On Monday, the Hares stretched their unbeaten sequence to five league and cup games as they cemented their place as one of the early season promotion contenders in the United Counties Premier South.
March took the lead from an early own goal but Pagnell’s Nabil Shariff equalised after 12 minutes and that’s the way the score stayed going into the break.
Gillies then netted twice after the break, the second from the penalty spot, to make it seven goals in as many games this season.
On Saturday, March Town are back in home action at the GER when they host Hinckley.
March Town v Dussindale and Hellesdon: Gill, Green, Brumby, Burrows (Sharman), Emmington, Biggs (White), Tsaguim, Tait (Pepper), Gillies (Rider), Foy, Williams (Cowie).
March Town v Newport Pagnell: Gill, Green, Brumby, Burrows (Bucciero), Emmington, Saunders (Biggs), Tsaguim (Cowie), Tait, Gillies (Rider), Foy, Williams (Escorcio).
