DORCHESTER Sports manager Ashley James is “ready” for his side’s Dorset Premier League derby clash with Balti Sports at the Avenue Stadium tonight (6.30pm).

Both sides enjoyed six-goal winning margins in their opening fixtures, with Dorchester winning 7-1 over Blandford United and Balti securing a 6-0 triumph over Sherborne Town Reserves.

Now James has his sights firmly set on three points and the boost that would come with beating a local rival.

He told Echosport: “It’s a big game so early on in the season. Both teams are aiming high this year. Obviously we want to go out there and get the three points and the confidence for us going into the next fixtures would be massive. We’re ready for it.

“It’s going to be two great sides going at it, hopefully we’ll get a good crowd down there.”

Dorchester’s 7-1 win at the weekend was founded on a crushing first-half performance, with James’ men going in 5-0 up at half-time.

Two goals from Will Turland, and one each courtesy of Richard Beasley and Jamie Rawlings plus an own goal did the damage, before Turland completed his hat-trick after the break and Jamie Symes made it seven late on from a Jamie Samways’ corner.

Dorchester’s result was made all the more impressive by the fact that first team players Sam Pashen, Gareth Will, Brandon Heal, Dan Peart and Adam Steele all missed the game.

James will be without Jamie West (ankle) and Rawlings for the Balti tussle, with the latter playing for Dorchester Reserves at Portchester tonight.

And the Dorchester manager is expecting no surprises from Balti manager Marco Nott, with both outfits familiar with the other.

He said: “Obviously both teams know each other really well so it’s difficult to change it up. I’ve got great respect for Marco, we know each other’s teams inside out.”

Commenting on the derby, Nott said Dorchester Sports were “a lot stronger this year”.

“They are similar to us really, they’ve come up through the lower leagues and done really well. They are a lot stronger this year, so it should be a good game.

“They are always good tense games so we’re looking forward to it. Dorchester Sports is always one of the games we look for with the fixtures.

“It’s probably our only derby and it’s always nice to play a derby every now and then,” he said.

Balti are expected to be without Ryan Dovell and Ethan Devaney, who are unavailable, but Simon Proffitt, Josh Burton and captain Charlie Kenderdine all return to the squad.

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