MAGPIES’ first team coach Stuart Heath believes the Dorchester Town squad can express themselves and play with a style that will suit them at Merthyr Town this afternoon (3pm).

The Magpies have only recorded one point from their last two home games on a tricky surface at the Avenue, which has forced them to go slightly more direct in their approach.

But the county town outfit know a win against the Martyrs on the 3G pitch at Penydarren Park will put them right back in the mix for a play-off place.

Heath told Echosport: “Hopefully we can get the ball down and pass and move to a good standard, like it is in training really.

“We train on a 3G almost every week so the players are used to that surface.

“We enjoy playing on decent pitches and it will be nice to play a passing game all around the pitch when we are in possession at Merthyr.

“Hopefully it will be a slightly different game and will suit our style a bit more.

“It’s not a style that we have just plucked out the air, it’s a style that we want to play because we feel we have the players at the club that are best suited to that style."

While Heath admitted the Magpies’ management team were disappointed with their last two results against Cirencester and Slough, he remained upbeat and is proud of the club’s achievements as a whole this term.

He said: “You are going to get setbacks and slip-ups no matter who you are, whether you are top of the league or bottom of the league.

“It’s come to that stage now where you have to just keep your composure and have a little bit of luck along the way and try and be as consistent as possible.

“If you do sustain setbacks, like we have in the last two home games, you don’t want a long hangover from it. You want to bounce back quickly from it.

“There are plenty of points still to play for.”

“The management team are really pleased with the players and what they have done so far this season,” Heath added.

“The belief in themselves and each other continues to show and development and progression is what we are looking for.

“Results are ultimately the most important thing but, in terms of development, we want players that have the character and the personality to keep progressing and improving, with a view to sustaining a really competitive team in this league and the league above in the next two to three years.”