POOLE BOROUGH 2

DORCHESTER SPORTS 2

TWO long-range goals by Owen Peart helped Dorchester Sports to a 2-2 draw with Poole Borough in their Dorset Premier League meeting at Turlin Moor.

Sports came into the game having won 8-1 and 5-2 on their previous visits to the Hornets and threatened an early breakthrough as Dan Sheehy hit the post in the second minute.

But the visitors did take the lead in stunning fashion four minutes later when Alex Godfrey supplied Peart infield and the attacking midfielder whistled a shot into the top-right corner from 25 yards.

Sports hunted a second goal from a corner but, when Borough cleared, it provided the Hornets with a counter-attack as Kieron Denty raced onto a through ball and beat keeper Nick Hutchings.

READ MORE: Balti Sports 1-3 Dorchester Sports - report

Borough then shocked Sports as ex-Dorchester Town and Weymouth striker Conor Jevon dispossessed Rich Sands in the box before slotting beyond Hutchings for 2-1 in the 22nd minute.

Sports took control of the game in the second half and Dylan Ellis was unlucky to see his dinked effort bounce off the outside of the post.

Midway through the latter period Sports were still searching for a route back to parity and it came when Peart’s inswinging corner flew straight into the net over British Virgin Islands keeper Harry Foden.

Sports continued to dominate and Godfrey nearly punished slack play from Foden, who gave the ball away and left his goal open for the striker to try a lob from distance only to see the ball bobble off target.

Borough safely negotiated two goalmouth scrambles in the final minutes as the sides had to settle for a point.

Sports’ coach Simon Linard said: “I think it was a fair result in the scheme of things.

“We probably created enough chances to win but we got ourselves back in it because we went 2-1 down.

“To get a draw there was OK. Ultimately, we were happy to settle for a point.

“We know it’s a tough place to go, they always make it difficult for you. We spoke about scoring early which we did do. I thought that was going to settle us down and we’d maybe go on from there.

“It’s a place we should go and win but we know it’s always difficult and you’ve got to work hard to win there.”

Sports tonight visit Swanage, with Linard adding: “You’ve got to go there and be on it.

“We had a good game when we played them at home, hopefully we can catch them after they lost to Balti as well.”

Darren Watts, Josh Pratt and Billy Brumble are expected to return.

Dorch Sports: Hutchings, Steele, O’Shaughnessy, Sands, Browne, Streamer, Coombs, Sheehy (Kelly 70), Hewitt (Ellis 60), Peart, Godfrey (Read 85). Sub not used: J Taylor.