DORCHESTER SPORTS 0

SHERBORNE TOWN RES 3

DORCHESTER Sports slipped to a rare home defeat as Sherborne Town Reserves claimed a 3-0 Dorset Premier League win at the Clayson Stadium.

The loss was Sports’ second in the league in four months but the hosts were not without chances, Jamie Rawlings missing when well-placed before the visitors took the lead deep into first-half injury-time.

Town hit the crossbar almost immediately after the restart as they threatened to double their lead.

Jamie West, usually clinical, also spurned a presentable chance on 47 minutes before Jason Read had a header cleared off the line three minutes later.

A moment of controversy arose soon after when Town cleared the ball against Will Turland’s hand at point-blank range before bouncing into the net, leading to a disallowed goal.

Sports’ grievance at the decision, their argument being ball to hand, soured further when Town added two quickfire goals, Oliver Burns claiming a brace and William Ireland also netting.

Speaking to Echosport, home boss Ashley James was perturbed by the decision to rule out Turland’s strike.

He said: “They cleared it off the line, he’s hit it and (Turland) is about two yards away from him. It’s hit his hand and gone in.

“So I’m not sure how he’s given (deliberate) handball. The referee’s given the goal but the linesman’s overruled it, so I’m not sure how that works.”

He added: “It was a big opportunity missed because we knew that we could have gone up to sixth with a win and it would’ve put us in a really good position to get kicking on.

“It was a really poor one.”

Sports next host runaway leaders Hamworthy Rec on Saturday, January 5 (2pm).

Sports: Lucas, P Thomas, Read, Heal, W Gould, Will (J Steele 20), Amor, Rawlings, Quinton, Ross (Turland 46), West (Bagg 70).