Dorchester Town supporters will have gone into work on Monday morning with a spring in their step for the first time in a long time, after they saw their side pick up a crucial victory over fellow strugglers Banbury United on Saturday.
In the morning before the game, both fans and players alike were given a massive boost when it was announced that club legend Mark Jermyn was to return as the club’s new player/manager.
The cult hero played more than 600 games for the Magpies over a 14 year period before surprising everybody by joining Poole Town in the summer.
He has been a regular starter for Poole this season and his loss is a big one for the Dolphins. But their loss is Dorchester’s gain, and he’ll take charge for the first time next weekend.
On Saturday the new gaffer was in the stands to see his new side’s crucial relegation six pointer against Banbury United.
The visitors made a bright start, and sure enough they drew first blood just five minutes into the game.
Jordan Green’s effort was saved by Shane Murphy, but United striker Leam Howards reacted quickest to the loose ball, and he tapped the ball into an empty net.
Dorchester could have been on level terms almost instantly. Dan Smith was sent through by Sam Lanahan, but he fluffed his lines and the ball rolled into the gratefull hands of the goalkeeper.
But then on 17 minutes, the tide turned in the Magpies favour.
First, Ben Watson was hauled down by Joel Meade on the edge of the area. Meade was shown a straight red card for his troubles, and the Magpies rubbed salt into the wounds by equalising moments later.
Dan Smith did what he should have done earlier in the game – hitting Watson’s low cross into the back of the net. 1-1, and the visitors would have to play the remaining 73 minutes with ten men.
Banbury were unable to hold on, and just two minutes after equalising the Magpies completed the turnaround.
Watson reacted to a defensive error and he got to the loose ball just ahead of the Banbury keeper Leigh Bedwell (remember him Weymouth fans?), who brought him down, and the referee was left with no choice but to award a penalty.
Watson cooly tucked away the penalty to give the Magpies a lead, to the delight and relief of the home crowd.
Dorchester were suddenly playing with a new found confidence, and they almost doubled the lead when Sam Lanahan headed Dan Smith’s corner against the crossbar from the edge of the six yard box.
That miss could have been crucial, but the Magpies made sure they took a two goal cushion into the break when Lanahan and Smith combined again on 43 minutes, with the latter this time making no mistake.
Dorchester began the second half as they ended the first, on the front foot, but on the hour mark they almost gifted their opponents a route back into the game.
Murphy miscued a clearance and it fell perfectly for Tom Ryan, who laid it off to Howards, but he lacked composure and blazed his shot over the bar. A let off for the hosts.
Dorchester did have numerous chances to add to their lead but in the end 3-1 was more than enough, and the Magpies picked up their first league win since November.
Its without doubt Dorchester’s biggest result of the season. Whilst defeat would not have relegated them, it would have been a massive setback.
But the three points, and also the way in which they were achieved gives the whole club a massive boost, and it gives the new manager something to build on.
The County town outfit still occupy the final relegation spot, but they are now just one point behind Frome Town, and two behind Arlesey – both of whom they still have to play. The two played eachother on Saturday with Arlesey coming out on top 3-2.
The victory was even more important for Dorchester because they now have a couple of very difficult looking away trips to play-off contenders to come.
Next Saturday they travel down to Cornwal to face 5th placed Truro City. Truro have been very strong at home, but Dorchester will go down there with new found confidence and belief, and they are certainly capable of causing an upset.
Weymouth and Poole Town will be hoping they do take points off Truro, after both clubs slipped to defeats on Saturday.
A defensive horror show from Weymouth saw them go down 3-0 at Slough Town, with Ed Smith netting a hat-trick in just 36 minutes.
They made the worst possible start, going behind after just 19 seconds, when Smith was allowed a free header in the penalty area which looped beyond the despairing reach of Jason Matthews.
Weymouth were stunned, and the Rebels never allowed the Terras to settle. They doubled their lead on 12 minutes, as the Terras once again failed to deal with a cross into the penalty area, and Smith headed home from close range.
For the next twenty minutes or so, Weymouth did begin to settle down a bit.
George Rigg fired a shot a couple of yards wide, before a moment of controversy.
Stewart Yetton turned away from his marker in he box before being tripped by the defenders outstretched leg. It was probably the most obvious penalty I’ve seen this season, yet unbeleavably, the referee booked the tallisman for diving! Needless to say, Yetton was livid, and the guilty defender looked just as stunned as everyone else. A howler from the man in the middle.
Weymouth then shot themselves in the foot by conceeding a calamitous third goal straight from the restart, and realistically the game was up after 36 minutes.
The second half was a bit of a non event really. Weymouth huffed and puffed without ever really looking like getting back into the game, whilst Slough looked a constant threat on the counter attack.
Credit to the home side, they were one of the best sides I’ve seen this season. They were well organised and had clearly done their homework. They had a gameplan and they excecuted it to perfection. But Weymouth were not at the races, and as on Tuesday night they contributed to their own downfall with some very sloppy defending.
The only saving grace for Weymouth was that second placed Poole Town failed to take advantage, as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Redditch United.
Sirrel’s strike in just the 15th minute was enough to see the Birmingham outfit become the first team to leave Tatnam with three points this season, as Poole’s lack of firepower once again came home to roost.
The visitors had a man sent off on 65 minutes, but despite camping in and around the Redditch penalty area for the remaining 25 minutes, the Dolphins were unable to find the back of the net, and they suffered their first home league defeat of the season.
Thankfully for both Weymouth and Poole, Corby Town could only draw at home to Hungerford, so they remain first and second in the table on 54 and 53 points respectively. Redditch move up to third, also on 53 points but they have played four games more.
Both sides will be desperate to get back on track on Tuesday night.
Weymouth face a difficult looking encounter at home to St Neots Town. The Saints were tipped by many to run away with the league this season, but they’ve struggled to find any real consistency, and currently sit 7th, two points off the play-offs.
They beat Weymouth on just the second weekend of the season, so the Terras will know what they are capable of. It’s a match between two sides who score plenty of goals, but also conceed more than their fair share, so it could be a thrilling game under the lights at the Bob Lucas Stadium.
Meanwhile Poole Town host 13th placed Chippenham Town at Tatnam. It’s a game Poole will be expected to win, but they really need to start scoring some goals if they are to maintain their promotion challenge. The Dolphins boast the best defensive record in the division, but as many as thirteen teams have a better goalscoring record than them, and it’s beggining to cost them crucial points.
The top two will both be hurting after their weekend defeats and will no doubt be chomping at the bit to put the record straight on Tuesday night. If both sides fail to win, Redditch could go top of the table at least for a few days.
Weymouth and Poole are still in pole position to run away with this division between them, but both need to get back to winning ways on Tuesday night. It’s turning into a thrilling season, so get out and back your local teams!
James Spring
