DORCHESTER Town manager Steve Thompson refused to lay blame on the officials following the Magpies’ 1-1 Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division draw with Dunstable Town at the Avenue Stadium. 

With Dorchester leading 1-0, Dunstable’s Charlie Black raced through on goal and lobbed goalkeeper Chris Weale to equalise, but Dorchester fans were aggrieved, with some feeling the striker had controlled the ball with his arm. 

Commenting on the situation, Thompson admitted he was more concerned by Dorchester’s poor organisation.

He told Echosport: “I’m not sure whether he handballed it or not, I didn’t even notice it. What I did notice is that we were left one-on-one with Luke Winsper and the lad. 

“That’s organisational set-up, which was more disappointing because we always outnumber our opponents by one. I think Callum (Rose) might have gone in late and someone came out but not quick enough.

“I’ll have to look at it again but I’m more angered by the organisational aspect of it, being done on the counter attack from our free-kick, rather than any decision the ref did or didn’t make.”

Thompson also felt the handball by Dunstable goalkeeper Will Hunt merited just a yellow card.

Meanwhile, In the midst of some unsavoury scenes at full-time, which saw Winsper and  the fiery Peter Kioso square up with their respective managers pulling their players away, Thompson put the clash down to a game-long war of words on the pitch. 

He said: “I think it’s chat on the pitch that gets a little bit out of control and is then taken into the end. 

“Me and Trevor (Senior, assistant) were well aware it was going to kick off at the end, so that’s why we got on the pitch early and tried to diffuse the situation. 

“But certainly one of their players looked very over-aggressive in his demeanour and maybe the ref should look at that and be acting upon that.

“There was some chat going on and there probably were a few insults going around.”

Meanwhile, midfielder David Jerrard has left Dorchester Town by mutual consent.

Jerrard, who made 68 career appearances for the Magpies, scoring 12 goals, is now understood to have trained with relegation-threatened National League South side Poole Town since leaving.

This season Jerrard had been a regular in the Dorchester line-up, playing 28 times and scoring four goals, but manager Steve Thompson has allowed him to leave as attention switches to next season with Dorchester comfortably placed in 19th and out of relegation danger.

Last season, Jerrard scored in a 1-1 draw at Stratford Town to help secure the Magpies’ place in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division on the final day.