DORCHESTER Town Reserves’ assistant-manager Ryan Dovell admits his return to the Avenue Stadium has been “really enjoyable” this season.

Dovell, a former Dorchester Town and Bridport player, who also turns out in the Dorset Premier League for Weymouth-based Balti Sports, has been a near ever-present for the Magpies’ second-string this season.

Rich Robson’s men finished fifth in the Wyvern Midweek Combination League and were runners-up in the John Stimpson Memorial Trophy, agonisingly losing 1-0 to Gosport Borough having played the final 20 minutes with 10 men.

Speaking to Echosport about his experience with the Magpies’ reserves this campaign, Dovell admitted he had taken pleasure from his first season in a coaching capacity.

He said: “Generally it’s been my first role as an assistant, so on a personal level I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s good to get involved with Dorchester Town.

“I played the majority of games that we’ve had except for ones where I’ve been unavailable through work. Just to be back there playing again has been really enjoyable for me.”

Dovell also spoke positively of his relationship with Robson, who has called on the former Magpie to act as an intermediary between the coaching staff and the players.

He said: “It’s great to see the young talent at the club and how they’ve progressed during the season.

“We’ve definitely got some good young players at the club and with Rich being there he’s very skilled at what he does. He appreciates that I’m a middle man among the players.

“Where he’s not got much experience through playing I’ve been able to put my side across, and I’d like to think they’ve benefitted from some of the things I’ve brought to the club.”

Under Robson and Dovell’s leadership, the Magpies’ reserves went unbeaten in their first nine games in all competitions this term, winning eight.

That was before inclement weather forced a raft of postponements, leading to just three games being played from mid-November to early March – a factor Dovell felt hindered the momentum of his side.

“You have one match a week then training so you can work on things. We had a really good start but it’s the way the season has gone on at every level.

“Where we’re a midweek league a lot of players we’ve got play on Saturday as well. But once the fixtures started coming a bit quicker, the performances started getting better,” he said.