DORCHESTER SPORTS 3

SHERBORNE TOWN RES 1

DORCHESTER Sports delivered their first home league win since August with a 3-1 victory over Sherborne Town Reserves in the Dorset Premier League at the Clayson Stadium.

Sports’ wait for a league win at home is largely due to a long list of away fixtures, with Corfe Castle having been thumped 8-2 in their previous league home clash.

Sports started brightly in this clash despite not playing for two weeks and nearly took the lead in the opening five seconds when Darren Watts tried his luck from kick-off, with the visiting keeper off his line.

Watts’ shot smashed the crossbar and Alex Stafie’s effort from long range by was well saved by the Zebras’ keeper.

However, midway through the first half the visitors took the lead in a mad couple of minutes.

Sports felt they should have had a corner after a cross, but the referee gave a free-kick to Sherborne who broke quickly and Elliott Mann was taken down by Brandon Heal in the box for a penalty.

Mann’s attempt was saved by keeper Antony Frost down to his right, but in the ensuing melee Jamie Samways and Mann clashed on the line for another penalty.

This time Mann slotted straight down the middle for 1-0 but just before half-time Samways got his his revenge by swinging in a corner into the top of the net via a light deflection.

Sports started the second half quickly and Watts was on hand on the edge of the box to slot home on 50 minutes.

Jamie Quinton wasted a good chance with only one defender to beat on the Sherborne line but his shot deflected for a corner before Gareth Will missed a carbon copy opportunity from five yards,

Sherborne then threw caution to the wind and Dan Peart had to make a last-minute tackle to deny a great chance then Frost had to save well twice while Peart again blocked on the line.

Sports were not to be denied as Ash Smith threw himself in front of an 85th-minute strike to seal a vital three points.

Speaking to Echosport, Sports’ boss Ashley James said: “We were holding on at the end to get the win, but it was vital we got the three points.

“It didn’t really matter how we got them. We had to dig deep and luckily we got over the line. It’s definitely not our best performance of the season but the character to get those three points was really pleasing.”

Asked whether a two-week gap had been a factor in a below-par performance, James said: “Definitely. There was some rustiness there.

“Sherborne’s first team didn’t have a game so that made it slightly harder for us. We got the two goals and should have been out of sight after going 2-1 up.”

Sports: Frost, A Gould, Heal (W Gould 65), Peart, Smith, Watts, Samways, Wash (Harvey 87), G Will, Quinton (Churchill 83), Stafie. Sub not used: Kendrick.