DORCHESTER TOWN RESERVES 0 SHOLING RESERVES 1

DESPITE losing out to a late goal at the hands of reigning champions Sholing, Dorchester Town Reserves refused to feel sorry for themselves.

Manager Dave Kiteley admits he felt “gutted” for his young charges, who conceded an 87th-minute winner at the Greene King IPA Community Stadium, but was buoyed by their response in the immediate aftermath.

He said: “At this level it’s more about performances than results but I was gutted they didn’t get anything out of it.

“Losing so late on, I thought they would be gutted in the dressing room after but they were smiling because they knew the achievement of the performance in respect of the opposition.

“For 60 or 70 per cent of the game, they outplayed a team that spanked us on both occasions last season, 7-2 and 6-0.

“And that is testament to 12 months of hard work and dedication. That was the big plus of the night.

“Sholing probably looked at the results so far this season and thought they would come here and have a jolly. We caught them off-guard and their manager said afterwards that was only the second time they have been outplayed in a game.”

Commenting further on the 1-0 defeat – Dorchester’s fourth in as many Wyvern Premier League outings – Kiteley added: “We just can’t seem to buy a goal at the moment and it was on the cards from the first minute when Gary Funnell whipped in a tremendous cross.

“You would put your money on Alex Godfrey scoring but he scuffed it straight into the keeper’s feet.

“Gary also had one cleared off the line in the first half and in the second half Alex’s glancing header just shaved the far post.

“It looked like nobody would score but in the 87th minute they got a cheap free-kick which was pumped into the box. It was flicked into the air, Dan Floyd and a couple of others felt he had been fouled and nine times out of 10 the ref gives the keeper the benefit of the doubt.

“But he didn’t and that’s just our luck at the minute.

“We threw people forward and in injury-time Alex Andrews hit a volley that just sailed over the bar.”

The Magpies visit Bashley next Thursday night.

Magpies: Floyd, Taylor, Way, Brooks, Butcher, Gape (Kimber 75), Twyford, Ward (Andrews 80), Carlile (Tennant 70), Godfrey, Funnell. Subs not used: Lane, Tewkesbury.