REVIEW: Magpies: Dorchester poised for a positive 2016 after Jermyn makes his mark

After a 3-0 defeat to Weymouth, a Magpies’ side struggling under Graham Kemp kicked off their 2015 with a morale-boosting draw at title-chasers Poole.

That was one of the few highlights of Kemp’s tenure as boss and, after bringing Lewis Morgan and Ben Watson back to the club, he resigned from his post in mid-January.

Kemp, at the helm for just four months, left the Avenue with Dorchester 21st in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division and facing a relegation battle.

But it didn’t take long for the Magpies’ hierarchy to find Kemp’s replacement – and the new man was one that all of the club’s fans were familiar with.

Having left to join Poole the previous summer, Mark Jermyn returned to his spiritual home to become Dorchester’s player-manager.

Before Jermyn assumed full control of the team, caretaker bosses Nick Crittenden and Stuart Heath guided the Magpies to a much-needed 3-1 victory over Banbury.

Matt Oldring scored the first goal of Jermyn’s reign but the defender’s effort couldn’t prevent a 2-1 defeat at Truro.

However, January ended with a superb 2-0 triumph at in-form Hungerford, and there would be more good things to come in February.

A brace from makeshift striker Nathan Walker contributed to a 3-1 defeat of Arlesey, while he scored again in the victory by the same scoreline against Frome.

There followed a stunning comeback from 3-1 down to beat Dunstable 5-3 – loan signing Bradley Tarbuck opened his account with Dorchester’s fifth.

March saw Morgan and Watson strike to see off Wimborne in the semi-finals of the Dorset Senior Cup, setting up a final with Weymouth.

A setback against Redditch was the precursor to a return to Dorchester colours for Ashley Nicholls, who signed on dual registration terms while with Maidenhead.

Midfielder Nicholls was in the team that were held by Frome and then a last-gasp Corby penalty denied the Magpies a league double over the side that would go on to lift the title.

There was some very sad news off the pitch at the end of the month when it was announced that club president Stacey Legge had passed away.

The Dorchester stalwart had enjoyed a long association with the club and was a passionate supporter of the team for a number of years.

A 3-0 reverse against Cambridge City in early April made it five matches without a success for Jermyn’s men, but that run came to an end when veteran Crittenden grabbed the winner in a 2-1 home triumph over Poole.

Despite losing to Weymouth for a fourth time during the season, the last coming via a Jordan Copp penalty in the Dorset Senior Cup final, Dorchester finished their league campaign strongly.

After a draw with St Neots, Paulton were beaten and then so too were Slough in the final fixture of the 2014/15 term.

Chris Dillon and Jake Smeeton were the main winners at the club’s end-of-season awards presentation.

While Dillon was the supporters’ player of the season, Smeeton received the players’ player of the season.

David Martin stepped down as club secretary after 15 years in the role to be replaced by Dave Ring – Martin would stay on as a director of the new Community Benefit Society (CBS).

The next month saw Dillon, Smeeton, Morgan, Oldring, Alan Walker-Harris and Shane Murphy pen deals to keep them at the Avenue.

Then, at an FA Council meeting on the May 19, Dorchester Town’s conversion to a CBS was fully ratified, paving the way for full community ownership.

The first meeting of the new club board saw Matt Lucas continue as chairman, with Martin vice-chairman and company secretary, and Ring the football secretary.

There were also some familiar faces on the CBS board, including the likes of former owner Shaun Hearn.

Comings and goings over the summer included the return of Neil Martin and arrival of Charlie Davis, although long-serving midfielder Jamie Gleeson left to join Poole and Walker would link up with Gosport.

Watson agreed terms to stay at the Avenue, where plenty of work had gone on behind the scenes since the end of the previous season to improve facilities.

Exciting youngster Jonah Ayunga was brought into the squad and after a mixed set of friendly results the Magpies began their 2015/16 campaign in August with a comfortable 3-0 defeat of Histon.

As Bradley Tarbuck made his way back to the county town the goals continued to flow in the opening weeks.

A brilliant fightback at Hungerford proceeded an agonising 4-3 loss to Cirencester, before a couple of goalless draws and 3-1 defeat away to Chippenham didn’t help.

August ended on a high for the Magpies as they took on and beat Weymouth thanks to a solitary Jermyn goal – Walker was also back in the team after signing dual registration forms.

However, Walker was sent off as Dorchester were knocked out of the FA Cup in a replay at Cirencester, but the team’s impressive league form continued into October.

Wins against Stratford and then Chesham, the latter thanks to a late Ayunga winner, boosted the Magpies’ push for the play-offs.

A disastrous 4-1 loss at Slough put the buffers on the promotion charge and there followed a slump in form, including a 5-1 home thrashing by Poole.

The run was ended in emphatic style when Watson grabbed a hat-trick as Dorchester hammered Paulton and Chippenham were beaten in the FA Trophy.

November saw Keith Kellaway become the new club president having retired as general manager in the summer.

Jermyn recruited Luke Holmes, son of former fans’ favourite Matty Holmes, following an FA Trophy exit at Kingstonian, while successive defeats to Hungerford and Hitchin followed.

The month was rounded off with a Liam Sayers goal beating Histon, although it was announced after that Morgan was taking time out due to family and work commitments.

Victory over King’s Lynn preceded a narrow defeat to Biggleswade, after which Tarbuck suffered a serious knee injury in a freak accident at his girlfriend’s home. That meant the winger missed the last game of the year away to Weymouth.

There was to be no double for Dorchester but new signing Franklyn Clarke introduced himself to the supporters in the best way possible with his side’s injury-time equaliser.