9:11am Tuesday 10th November 2009
By Ky Capel
DORCHESTER Town boss Roy O’Brien is wary of an Eastleigh backlash tonight (7.45pm).
The Spitfires visit the Jewson Stadium this evening smarting from a last-gasp FA Cup defeat at Blue Square Premier side Barrow on Saturday.
The Blue Square South outfit were just seconds away from earning a first round replay but the Bluebirds grabbed a dramatic winner in Cumbria to secure a second round date with Oxford United.
Rather than feel disheartened by the defeat, O’Brien believes Eastleigh will be even more determined to claim three points in the county town.
He said: “Eastleigh is going to be another tough game as they’re a dangerous outfit, so we’ll have to be on our game again.
“They had a disappointing result on Saturday in the cup but I expect them to be fired up for this one, I really do, as the league is our bread and butter.
“We’ll need to be fired up as well and I believe the lads will be.”
Dorchester though, have reason to be confident following an impressive 1-0 victory at Havant & Waterlooville at the weekend.
Reflecting on the Magpies’ fifth win of the Blue Square South campaign, O’Brien added: “It was a very good win and one that we enjoyed. It was a good performance and I thought we were very solid, especially in the second half.
“It’s nice to be winning games at the moment and we’d like to get a run together as that’s what’s needed to move up the table.
“We can’t think about trying to push towards the play-offs or mid-table at this point, we need to just make sure we move away from where we are at the moment.”
Midfield general Ian Selley suffered a head wound at West Leigh Park and was substituted four minutes before the break.
The former Arsenal man was treated in a Hampshire hospital and is subsequently a major doubt this evening.
O’Brien said: “He had a very nasty cut and it was very deep. I think he had four stitches on the inside of the wound and seven on the outside.
“He’s been in some discomfort and he looked a bit like Terry Butcher on Saturday, but he’ll want to play against Eastleigh.
“We’ll leave the decision on whether he plays to the last minute.”
Magpies (from): Coward, Filkins, Bowles, Montacute, Martin, Lavers, Walsh, Vickers, Barnes, Jermyn, Gleeson, Selley, Nodwell, Devlin, Costa, Moss, McCollin, Groves.
* Dorchester Town will host Wimborne Town in the quarter-finals of the Dorset Senior Cup on Tuesday, December 1 (7.45pm).
The tie sees former county town skipper Alex Browne, now in charge of Wessex Premier League side Wimborne, return to the Jewson Stadium.
* The Magpies will be hosting an evening with boxing legend Sir Henry Cooper on Friday, November 20.
Comedian Tank Sherman is also on the bill along with an auction of sporting memorabilia, a raffle and a disco.
Tickets, which include a three-course meal and wine, cost £50 per head or £475 for a table of 10.
Contact 262451/268440 for more information.
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