8:40am Friday 4th December 2009
By Ky Capel
ASHLEY Vickers is confident his Magpies will be “raring to go” against fellow strugglers Hampton & Richmond Borough tomorrow (3pm) despite their miserable cup exit in midweek.
Dorchester were dumped out of the Dorset Senior Cup at the hands of Wessex Premier League outfit Wimborne Town on Tuesday night.
And caretaker-manager Vickers, searching for his first win in charge since the sacking of Roy O’Brien almost a fortnight ago, believes the county town players are keen to make amends.
Vickers, who could be set to name himself in tomorrow’s starting XI, read the riot act to his charges in the aftermath of Tuesday’s 4-1 loss, urging them to shape up or ship out.
He said: “I know the lads want to do well and I know they want to do well for me. I’ve told them that I would be the first one fighting for them and that I would be the first one to lie down and get hurt for them, but it’s got to be a two-way street.
“Tuesday night was a chance for some to come in and prove themselves but they couldn’t have done themselves any less of a favour.
“If I had gone into the Wimborne dressing room after Tuesday’s game and said here are 11 Dorch-ester Town shirts, they’re yours, they would’ve bitten my hand off because this is a great club to play for.
“And the sooner that dawns upon people the better because there aren’t too many clubs near-by that can maintain the players’ wages.”
Looking forward to the visit of the Beavers, which could see recent signing Kyle Crit-chell make his debut in black and white, Vickers added: “We have to bounce back and knowing the lads like I do they’ll be raring to go against Hampton.
“We’ve got important players coming back like Kyle Crit-chell, Ryan Hill and Steve Devlin but there are other players we are looking at trying to bring in.
“I know the type of players I want and I’m sure the next manager, whoever that may be, will look for exactly the same qualities – someone willing to win the ball.”
The Beavers, who have seen their last two outings postponed and lie only two points above the 18th-placed Magpies, will be just as keen to record victory tomorrow given the fact they enter the game without a league win since the end of October.
Dorchester are still without Nick Crittenden (ankle) and Kevin Hill (foot) and have yet to snap up Wimborne defender Nathan Walker.
Magpies (from): Coward, Filkins, R Hill, Montacute, Martin, Smeeton, Bowles, Barnes, Walsh, Vickers, Critchell, Selley, Jermyn, Gleeson, Nodwell, Devlin, Symes, Moss, Groves.
n Dorchester Under-18s’ South West Counties League clash with Newport County has been switched to Llanrumney Playing Fields, Cardiff.
The Magpies were due to welcome the Welsh outfit to the Rec tomorrow (10.30am) but will now make the long journey themselves.
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