CHAIRMAN Matt Lucas has been impressed by what he has seen from Mark Jermyn’s Dorchester team so far this season, but insists there is still plenty of work to be done both on and off the pitch during the second half of the campaign.

The Magpies, whose home game against Bideford on Saturday was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch at the Avenue, are six points off the play-off places in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division, a marked improvement on this time 12 months ago.

As well as that, the county town outfit is in its first full season as a community club, although with attendances down on last term, Lucas knows more people have to buy into the fan-owned enterprise.

Asked if the transition to a Community Benefit Society had been a success, Lucas told Echosport: “It’s a difficult one to gauge.

“It’s our first season of community ownership and what we have always got to look at is that individuals who come forward and bankroll clubs are few and far between.

“Like I said at the beginning, we could sit and wait and hope someone will come along and take responsibility or do something about it collectively.

“That’s what we had to do.

“We have obviously got to keep pushing, and it’s a collective effort involving everyone from the board to those people who come now and again.

“We are looking to promote the games as much as we can and the ground is being used far more now than it was.

“We need to make sure it’s used as often as it can be so we can maximise the revenue.

“What we’ve got to do now as a community is just to continue to get behind everything that’s going on at the club and hopefully maintain the levels that have been set over the first half of the season.

“We need to build on our attendances because they haven’t been as good as they were last season.”

Lucas admits that not having a decent cup run this season was disappointing, however, he can see some very promising signs in the current squad moving forward.

“What has been refreshing is that when we go into any game now, home or away, there is a feeling we can get the three points,” he added.

“If you look at the games in 2015, other than a couple of them, I’ve felt we’ve been in every one.

“The team have shown in the first part of this season they are a match for anyone in the league.

“I’d like to think the lads can keep it up and it would be wonderful if they could get into the play-offs.

“I’m really upbeat with the way the season has gone so far, certainly in the league.

“Mark (Jermyn) has taken the values he holds as a player into management and expects similar standards from his players.

“As Jem has said, the squad is not massive by any means, but it has got quality.”