DORCHESTER Town player-boss Mark Jermyn expressed immense pride after his first game in the hot- seat, despite the Magpies going down 2-1 at Truro City.

The Avenue boss, who thrust himself straight into the starting XI for the encounter with the in-form Tigers, held his hands up for giving the ball away for substitute Les Afful’s second-half opener.

But although that mistake cost his side, club legend Jermyn admitted it was a great feeling to put a Magpies’ shirt back on once again, and was overwhelmed by the reaction he received from his players. “I loved it, absolutely loved it,” he told Echosport.

“I spoke to the boys on Tuesday and Thursday and I told them how I want to play and what I want to do with the structure of the team.

“I know Steve Tully the manager there and they changed their shape after 10 minutes because they didn’t know what to do with us.

“I would have been really happy with a point but the way we started the game someone said to me that it looked like we were going for all three. That was just the reaction of the players, it was brilliant.

“The one person that made a mistake was myself. There is no deflection from it, it was totally down to me.

“For me there were mixed emotions, I was the one who gave away the ball. I have been in the game long enough to know how cruel and how kind it can be to you, unfortunately, it was my mistake and it was very unkind to me.

“I’m not going to beat myself up about it but the point was there for us and it would have been a good point.

“The boys needed a lift at 2-0 but they were the ones that gave me the lift to get back in the game.

“Despite the result the reaction was so positive I couldn’t ask for any more.”