BEN Watson aims to fire Dorchester Town to safety.

The striker, back with the Magpies after a 15-month absence, left under testing circumstances in October 2013.

Watson had signed a two-year deal that summer after an excellent season for the county town side.

But as the squad felt the effects of cutbacks to the playing budget, Watson agreed to cancel his contract before he joined Truro City.

It wasn’t the way the centre-forward wanted to leave, and his return hasn’t run very smoothly either.

He was on the team bus to Chesham last Saturday when news came through that his move from Bideford hadn’t gone through in time for him to play that afternoon.

Then, just minutes after finally making his comeback at Chippen-ham on Tuesday, he and the rest of the squad learned of boss Graham Kemp’s decision to resign.

Commenting on Kemp’s resignation and the way his first spell at the club ended, he said: “Graham had contacted me when I left Truro but we couldn’t get a deal done at the time.

“He then contacted me again last week and I obliged by coming back from Bideford.

“I was enjoying my time at Bideford but I was a non-contract player, so signing a contract until the end of the season at Dorchester was more security for me and my young family.

“It’s a bit strange that he has gone because when a manager brings you in you have a chance to show them what you can do.

“We started really well at Chippenham but a few individual errors let us down on the night.

“We’ve got to move on and dust ourselves down, and we’ve got to keep fighting.”

He went on to add: “It was disappointing to leave Dorchester the way I did, but I did what I thought was best for myself, my family and the club, which was in financial trouble at the time.

“We’d had a really good season in the league and cup and I was rewarded with a two-year contract, which was good with a baby on the way.

“I was on a contract and within my rights to stay, but with the club in trouble I moved on for myself and Dorchester.

“Something has got to give in those situations so I feel I’ve got some unfinished business at Dorchester.”

The 29-year-old father-of-two is set to make his second Avenue debut today when the Magpies take on Banbury United in a must-win league game (3pm).

“I want to be playing football and help Dorchester,” said Watson. “We’ve got the foundations to do well and compete at this level.

“My aim in the immediate future is to score goals and keep Dorchester in the Southern Premier League.”