DORCHESTER Town boss Mark Jermyn hailed the work-rate of Ben Wood, who has stepped up to lead the line in recent weeks.

Wood, who returned to the Avenue in the summer, has impressed his manager as a lone striker over the last two games but Jermyn insisted he is under “no pressure” to deliver a haul of goals.

“I am not going to say Woody is going to get us 20 goals this season but, because he can stretch defences and he is quick, the amount of pressure he can put players under almost makes it easier for everybody else behind him,” said Jermyn, who could make his 700th appearance for Dorchester when they host St Ives Town at the Avenue tonight (7.45pm).

“Him shutting players down will allow somebody to either kick it out of play or they will go long, which is why we have got Nathan Walker at the back and Chris Dillon, who will win balls in the air.”

He added: “Hopefully with Ben, once he gets a couple of goals, more will come from him but he is under no pressure to be scoring the goals, we just want him to support everybody else.

“There is no pressure on anybody to go out and score 15 or 20 goals a season.

“As long as the players set up the play I am happy with that, I don’t care who scores.”

The county town side will be without Jake Smeeton this evening, as he serves a one-match ban.