PICKERING Town boss Mitch Cook lauded the attitude among his hungry players after seeing them rack up 19 goals in two games.

The Pikes followed last week’s 11-0 romp against strugglers Lincoln Moorlands Railway by thrashing lowly Winterton Rangers 8-1, Joe Danby notching his second hat-trick in as many games.

The latest result lifted Cook’s men up to ninth in the Northern Counties East League premier division, ahead of last night’s visit of Armthorpe Welfare.

Said the manager: “We expected to win but we also won the game well.

“We created a hatful of chances and could have had more than eight goals, and that’s the pleasing thing to come out of it.

“In games like that you can get bored and take your foot off the gas and win two or three nil, but we beat them well and deserved it.

“We’re a young and enthusiastic team and we’re pleased the lads went about things the right way.

“Nineteen goals in two games makes daft reading but you can only beat what’s in front of you and we did that and did it well.”

Last night’s game will be followed by the visit of Brighouse Town on Saturday (3pm). Brighouse are two points above Pickering with five games in hand, and Cook knows it will provide a different test – though he remained confident given his team’s new-found scoring form.“You can’t go into any game expecting to win but we’re hoping we can create chances,” he said.

“We’ve created plenty recently and if we do that again we’re confident we can score some goals.”

The Pikes cruised into a four-goal first-half lead at Winterton as Danby’s 23-minute treble – with goals after 21, 42 and 44 minutes – was supplemented by a goal for Ged Dalton, who was back in the side in place of the suspended player-coach Tony Hackworth.

Cook’s men continued to dominate in the second half and added to their tally through Josh Greening after 47 minutes, Sam Calvert after 65, Daniel O’Connor after 76 and, after Winterton replied via a Jack Finnis penalty, Jimmy Beadle three minutes from time.

The strikes by teenagers Calvert and O’Connor were their first for the Pikes’ first team.

Winterton recently saw Paul Friskney, their second manager this season, resign, to be replaced by Darren Waring.

Meanwhile, Pickering’s Boxing Day match at Bridlington Town has been postponed, with a new date yet to be confirmed.

The Pikes’ home game with Albion Sports has been brought forward from April 26 to Saturday, January 11, kick off 3pm.