LUKE Holmes believes the “calming influence” that the experienced members of Magpies’ squad bring to the table has had a positive impact on Dorchester’s talented youngsters this term.

And teenager Holmes, who is set to be part of the county town squad to travel to Hitchin Town today (3pm), is still hopeful of the club securing a play-off spot this season.

He told Echosport: “There is a lot of good talent in our squad.

“We have some really experienced players that are helping as well.

“I think Nathan Walker, Ben Watson, Jake Smeeton, Alan Walker-Harris and Neil Martin are very important players.

“They have played at a higher level and it gives the youngsters a calming influence, which is always good to have.

“They help out a lot of the youngsters in the side.

“They know the level that we are playing at and they definitely help you out and it rubs off on you when you are playing.”

The Magpies go into today’s clash with the fifth-placed Canaries six points adrift of their fellow play-off hopefuls.

Holmes added: “We just have to keep pushing on and take every game as it comes

“We have to keep winning those horrible games like the other day (against St Neots). If we win games like that we are going to give ourselves a good chance to get into the play-offs.

“At the end of the season we will obviously see where we are. If it doesn’t happen this season, although I think it will because we have a great squad, then next season we will definitely be in there.

“We have a lot of young players who are only going to get better the more games they play.

“Next season I think we will be even stronger.”