FC CLACTON boss Kieron Shelley felt spirit and work-rate were key ingredients in his side’s thrilling 4-2 victory against Fakenham Town.

The Seasiders were 1-0 and 2-1 down in the Thurlow Nunn League premier division contest, on Saturday afternoon.

However, a hat-trick from new signing Keiron Baker – on his debut, after arriving on loan from Brightlingsea Regent – and an unstoppable penalty from skipper Kevin Coyle made it four straight wins at the Rush Green Bowl.

Clacton remain second from bottom but are now within three points of both Hadleigh United and Long Melford.

“We knew we weren’t good enough in the first half,” said an upbeat Shelley.

“Fakenham came here and knew that if they played a pressing game, they’d force us to make errors and that we’d start moaning and nitpicking at each other.

“For a while, it worked very well for them but it was important not to let too much daylight between the teams.

“We rode our luck but rather than going in at half-time 4-1 down, it was only 2-1.

“That gave us belief that there was something there to play for and the reaction of the players in the second half was superb.

“We went back to basics, in terms of working hard both on and off the ball, and you hope that when you do that, you’ll get your rewards.

“The people watching will have seen the effort and when things weren’t going well, it was a question of talking among each other and trying to put things right – not shouting and screaming and being negative.

“That’s a positive squad for you and when you’re bickering and picking at each other it’s not good.

“It was just a spirited second-half performance.

“We haven’t done anything amazing. We tried to get the ball down and get it moving, but more than anything it was down to work-rate and reacting to the prospect of losing.”

Shelley says he and his players are fully confident they can climb the table and escape relegation this season.

The Seasiders will be hoping to continue their progress when they head to Great Yarmouth Town on Saturday, ahead of their next home game against Newmarket Town on January 28.

“If we’d lost at the weekend, you probably would have said we need to win eight of our last dozen games,” said Shelley.

“It gets harder and harder and the pressure grows on myself and the players. They feel it like I feel it.

“But I believe, they believe and our fans believe we can do it and that’s the kind of performance we now have to kick on from because we were like two different sides, in the first half and the second.”

Clacton’s reserves were unfortunate not to take something from their Essex and Suffolk Border League match with Hedinghams United, suffering a 2-1 defeat. Charlie Welham scored their goal.