WIMBORNE TOWN 4

DORCHESTER TOWN 1

DORCHESTER Town’s Ability Counts team suffered a blow in their hopes for the league title when they lost to rivals Wimborne Town, writes Alfie Lumb.

The game was highly anticipated as the two teams had scored the most goals in the division this season.

Dorchester travelled to Cuthbury in high hopes, winning their last four league games in a row.

And within 10 minutes, they found the back of the net to open the scoring in the crunch encounter.

A long ball from midfielder Ryan Carter found Danny Kiy who, after controlling, fired it towards the goal. Despite the Wimborne goalkeeper reaching the ball, the power of the shot appeared too strong from Dorchester’s star striker, as the ball fell into the net.

Wimborne had to search for a response and upped their tempo as they looked for an equaliser, and they found it in fortuitous circumstances.

The ball struck a post and ricocheted off of a Wimborne player by chance and, when it came back out, a home striker was left with a simple tap-in to make it 1-1.

Wimborne then found the net again just before half-time when some slick passing play led to a shot finding the net from outside the box – the striker grabbing his second in as many minutes. Makeshift goalkeeper Jack Harrison was left rooted to the spot.

Dorchester had looked as though they had lost their composure as they were struggling to clear their lines and nearly conceded a third before half-time had the ball not hit the side-netting.

The visitors looked as though they had reacted to the words of coach Jason Brookes at the interval, with Danny Kiy going close to levelling the game up. However, he could only drag his shot wide of goal.

Dorchester continued to apply the pressure but failed to find a cutting edge in front of goal.

And they were punished as the Cuthbury outfit netted their third to wrap the game up.

A pass from midfield split the Dorchester defence wide open and a Wimborne striker was through to finish for his hat-trick, chipping the ball over the Dorchester goalkeeper.

The hosts then added their fourth just after, leaving Dorchester to ponder defeat.

Avenue community officer Brookes described the game as a disappointment for his team and said that being without some of their key players for the game had cost them.

The coach was adamant that the side would bounce back however and he learnt a lot about the team from the game.