Peter Murphy hailed Annan Athletic’s defensive display as they got the better of the Scottish League Two leaders for the second successive week, beating Peterhead 3-0.

Tommy Muir bagged a brace for Athletic, who came into Saturday’s game after a 2-1 victory at Edinburgh City, after David Wilson had broken the deadlock.

“I’m very pleased with the performance,” said boss Murphy.

“I think, in the first half, it was a good, battling performance. We had a good chance but Greg Fleming [Peterhead’s keeper, from Annan] made a great save.

"Coming into the second half, I thought the game would be different, but the wind seemed to settle down a lot. Tommy Muir, again, played well and scored twice. David Wilson also picked up a goal.

“But the main thing was the way we defended after we scored our first goal.

"I think they put us under pressure for about a 5-10 minute-spell, where we had to put our bodies on the line, and that showed the togetherness of the team. Then, we went up the other end and scored.

“It was a good performance after the win the previous week.”

Murphy’s men will visit Berwick Rangers this Saturday after they were hammered 7-1 at Queen’s Park last time out.

But Carlisle United favourite Murphy insists the Galabankies’ last couple of results will count for nothing if they don’t maintain their recent form.

When asked how much of a platform recent results, which have left his side fourth and six points clear of fifth-placed Stirling have given them, he said: “It’s a good platform but, before that, we had lost twice against each of the top three. So, that was something we needed to improve on.

"We are doing that but there’s still a lot of games to go. We need to capitalise and keep putting performances in, and getting results, and see where it takes us.

“This result will mean nothing if we go and lose this weekend or the weekend after. We just need to keep going.”

While Muir took the headlines with two goals, Murphy praised the rest of his frontline - insisting it was a team effort.

He said: “I think Tommy was [a real nuisance to the Peterhead backline]. But he has the foil of Aidan Smith running off him.

"It’s not just about Tommy Muir – Aidan Smith, Chris Johnston, Tony Wallace as well as the two boys in midfield [are all chipping in]. It was good on Saturday because it came together.

"About eight games ago, I was saying that we were creating a lot of chances, but we weren’t scoring them.

"At the minute, we are going through a nice little purple patch where we are scoring the goals. Long may it continue.”