DORCHESTER Town midfielder Harry Kite maintained that progressing to the FA Trophy third qualifying round was more important than his equalising goal in a thrilling 3-1 victory over AFC Totton.

Kite, 18, blasted a 35-yard screamer into the top corner to level for the Magpies after the prolific Justin Bennett had tapped home just 62 seconds in to give the Stags an early lead.

Kite’s fellow Exeter City loanee Ben Seymour then bagged a quick double to seal the triumph, taking his tally to four goals in four matches.

Speaking to Echosport, Kite said: “I’m more than happy. The most important thing was getting through to the next round for the club with the financial benefits of it.

“It’s just a bit of confidence and motivation for the team, knowing that another win can set us up nicely for this Saturday as well. Obviously a goal is nice to top it off with.

“It seems to be in the cup at the moment, I just want to score a few more in the league. It’s always nice to help the team out and it’s an important goal as well, going 1-0 down so early doors.

“It was nice to get back into it, grab the game by the scruff of the neck and get on with it.”

Kite, who has scored three times in his 18 games for Dorchester thus far, also turned out for Exeter City under-23s in their 1-1 draw with Norwich just 48 hours prior to the Totton clash.

He said: “It was a good performance from the lads on Thursday night against a more experienced Norwich side.

“The legs and calves were feeling it with two games in three days, but it was a good week of football.

“As long as I’m playing football, that’s the most important thing.

“That’s the reason I came out on loan, that’s the reason I came out to Dorchester, to play games and get minutes.”

Kite also revealed he played a key part in bringing clubmate Seymour to the Clayson Stadium, ending Dorchester’s long hunt for a striker.

He said: “He’s been doing alright! I spoke to Steve (Thompson, manager) and said this is a lad you need to get in. Last season at Bideford he scored 20-plus goals.

“I said ‘we need a striker like that’ who can score goals. So far he’s stuck to my word and produced goals, which is important for him and important for the team to win games as well.”

With Kite now over halfway through his loan, the midfielder highlighted the significance of playing men’s football.

He said: “I just think that playing men’s football is so important for someone my age. Playing 23s games it’s more possession, so playing men’s football is the nitty gritty side of the game.

“It’s important to be playing that sort of football for my development and also with Ben as well.

“As long as we’re both playing games it’ll set us in good stead for League Two football, which is more like it is playing for Dorchester than 23s and 18s.”

Meanwhile, Dorchester will now face Poole on Tuesday, January 8 and Frome on Tuesday, November 27. A re-arranged date for their clash with Swindon Supermarine has yet to be agreed.