NATHAN Walker is determined to do all he can to help Dorchester Town while on loan at his former club, but the defender is not sure just how long his stay at the Avenue is set to last.

The 27-year-old centre-half jumped at the chance to rejoin the Magpies in January after falling down the pecking order at Weymouth.

His month-long loan at the county town club is set to expire following Dorchester’s trip to Tonbridge Angels on February 22, though whether the deal will be extended remains to be seen.

Whatever happens, Walker’s focus is on helping the Magpies in their attempts to pull off a great escape from the Skrill South relegation zone.

The wet weather has meant he hasn’t been able to play as many games as he, or Dorchester boss Phil Simkin, would have liked, but he is still eager to do his bit for the cause.

Speaking about returning to the club he left last summer, he said: “It was an easy decision to make because I wanted to play football.

“I didn’t want to drop a league. I either wanted to stay in Weymouth’s league or step up and Dorchester came in for me.

“The team is struggling so my aim is to help them get as many points as I can.

“I’ve played under Phil many times and it is great to be back with him. He told me the situation he was in and how he wanted to get out of it.

“It’s nice to be playing alongside Mark Jermyn at centre-half and with lads like Jamie Gleeson, Jake Smeeton, Nick Crittenden and Alan Walker-Harris.”

On what happens when the loan ends, he added: “As far as I know I go back to Weymouth after the game on February 22.

“It’s down to Weymouth if they want me to go out on loan again or find me another club, otherwise I’m going back to fight for my place.”

The Magpies’ changing room has changed a lot since Walker was last at the club, with a number of players coming and going in recent months.

But although the campaign has been incredibly tough, Walker reckons the squad can ultimately come good.

“We had a fantastic dressing room last year, probably the best one I’ve ever been in,” he said. “Going back this year, it’s a totally different dressing room.

“We’ve been in this situation so many times and we will pull out of it again if the younger lads listen to the experienced players.

“The young lads are keen to learn. Obviously they’ve had a great opportunity to play at Conference South level and don’t want to be relegated.”

The Magpies can back up Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Eastbourne with another three points at home to Havant & Waterlooville tonight (7.45pm).

Dorchester know a win could lift them off the foot of the table if they triumph and other results go their way.

Phil Simkin is set to name an unchanged squad for the clash with the Hampshire side, who sit 16th in the division.

Magpies (from): Walker-Harris, Case, Smeeton, Jermyn, N Walker, Lanahan, Twyford, Gleeson, Crittenden, Byerley, Losasso, Munday, Makoni, Ward, Way, Brooks.