Zane Banton said his wonder goal during the 2-0 Boxing Day derby win over Hemel Hempstead Town came down to one age-old adage - just hit it.

The winger picked the ball up deep in his own half on 62 minutes and set off at a gallop towards the Hatfield Road End of Clarence Park.

Nobody checked his progress though, nobody truly got close in all honesty, and when Banton approached the Hemel box he let fly with a shot that zipped to the right of goalkeeper Sam Beasant.

He said: "Running with the ball is a good part of my game and as I'm travelling I thought of shifting it.

"I only had to beat one person but it just opened up and then I thought, you know what I haven't had a shot today and I just went for the far corner and got a good connection.

"I'm very happy with that goal."

The victory started with Joe Iaciofano's 42nd-minute opener, that after another superb run this time for Munashe Sundire, and it continued City's upturn in form.

This was the second win in succession and their fifth without defeat and lifts them up to 19th in the table, out of the relegation zone.

"All the boys are buzzing," said Banton. "Our performances have been much better over the last few weeks. We've seen that for ourselves and the gaffer has seen it but we haven't had our rewards.

"We've played well and been unlucky and only got draws. But then to go to Weymouth and win 1-0 and then today, we're now getting our rewards for playing well but not getting the three points."

Their rewards were only earned after three superb saves by goalkeeper Dean Snedker in the opening 30 minutes.

The stopper kept his side in the game but said that the confidence those stops brought him were also helped by performances of the rest of the squad.

He said: "It's always good to get involved early on as it grows the confidence but I'm just trying to do my best for the team.

"The earlier one I just tried to be as big as possible and it helped us push on. The whole team grew in confidence.

"When we're all performing well, me and the back four, then it gives us all a buzz.

"It boosts all our performances but it's great to get the saves and see the team go on and get the win."