NATHAN Walker returns to the Dorchester Town side for today’s Dorset derby at Poole Town (3pm), but there is no place in the squad for keeper Alan Walker-Harris.

Shane Murphy holds on to the number one jersey after impressing against Weymouth, while Jake Smeeton retains the captain’s armband.

Dan Smith is back in the fold following a short illness, though dual-registered Gosport Borough defender Dan Woodward is unavailable.

Walker and Walker-Harris were dropped by manager Graham Kemp for the Boxing Day defeat to the Terras due to an ongoing disciplinary issue.

“The matter with Nathan and Alan is an ongoing thing,” said Kemp. “I had a chat with Nathan and he will come into the squad.

“Shane keeps his place and it’s not a question of him keeping the shirt warm for Alan.

“If you get a chance and take it, like Shane did, you deserve to stay in the team.

“He got off to a great start against Weymouth and made an unbelievable save in the first half.

“And even after we conceded the opening goal, the first thing Shane did was try to gee the players up, and that’s what we’re looking for.”

Centre-half Walker is likely to go toe-to-toe with older brother Michael, who moved back to Tatnam from the Bob Lucas Stadium last May.

A positive result for Dorchester today could be just what Kemp’s men need going into the new year.

And while they may have lost five league fixtures on the trot, Poole haven’t exactly been setting the world alight in recent weeks despite starting 2015 as the division’s top dogs.

The Dolphins, who are set to include three former Magpies – Mark Jermyn, Neil Martin and Steve Devlin – in their starting line-up, suffered defeats in two of their last four outings.

“Poole are doing well,” added Kemp. “Whatever league they’ve been in over the last five or six years they have been at the top of it.

“We showed what we are capable of in the first hour against Weymouth without playing to our true potential.

“We demonstrated a good team ethic and need to build on that.

“Having a few ex-Dorchester players playing for Poole will add a little bit of spice to it, and hopefully we’ll be able to get one over on them.”

Magpies (from): Murphy, Smeeton, Oldring, Dillon, Walker, Gleeson, Lanahan, Crittenden, Odam, Walsh, Doe, Brookes, Allen, Rolls, Smith, Way, Robinson