SWANAGE TOWN & HERSTON 4

DORCHESTER SPORTS 2

DORCHESTER Sports succumbed 4-2 to 10-man Swanage Town & Herston in the Dorset Premier League as a Paul Best hat-trick downed Ashley James’ men at Day’s Park.

Sports started brightly but Swans opened the scoring on 18 minutes against the run of play.

Goalkeeper Antony Frost hurled the ball to Jack Steele 25 yards out, allowing Best to nip in and send a delicious lob over the Sports keeper for 1-0.

James’ charges continued to look good in possession but failed to get on the scoresheet.

They were eventually punished in first-half stoppage-time when Yusif Garip crossed accurately for the incoming Best to clinically nod home a second.

After the restart, Swans’ captain and central midfielder Best claimed a fine hat-trick when new signing, Frenchman Charles Daries chipped a ball over the top for the skipper to slam home from eight yards.

Joel Hewitt and Rich Beasley squandered excellent chances for Sports, Hewitt allowing the ball to roll under his foot from five yards out before Beasley blazed over on the hour.

Undeterred, Sports pulled two goals back in quick succession to set up a grandstand finish.

Gareth Will was the catalyst, netting from close range before substitute Ryan Ross netted his first Sports goal from 10 yards.

Best’s eventful game abruptly ended when he was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Jason Read, enabling Sports to pile forward in the closing stages.

However, Swans held firm and notched a fourth to seal victory in the 96th minute when Daries scored on debut following astute work from fellow sub Simon Lander.

James told Echosport that Sports had endured another case of “three points dropped”.

He said: “We were the better side. It sounds a bit strange, but we did play some good football. Antony only had one save to make and he’s had to pick the ball out of the net four times.

“We’ve had four or five, really, really good opportunities where on another day they would have hit the back of the net.

“Little silly mistakes have cost us really badly and we’ve got to cut them out otherwise we’re going to keep playing quite well and come away with nothing. We’ve only got ourselves to blame.

“I thought we played quite well and I think it’s three points dropped.”

Sports now enjoy a bye weekend and will return to action at pointless Sturminster Newton United on Saturday, November 17 (2pm).

Sports: Frost, Thomas, Read, A Gould, W Gould (Ross 60), Quinton, Steele, Will, Rawlings, R Beasley, Hewitt