SHAUN Brooks admitted that avoiding relegation is now "near-on impossible" after watching the Magpies lose 4-0 at Hampton & Richmond on Saturday.
Dorchester were four down by the half-time whistle as Ian Hodges' hat-trick and Alan Inns' header put the high-flying Beavers in complete control.
And the county town director of football felt his side, who remain seven points adrift of Blue Square South safety, were always second best.
He said: "We just couldn't cope with the sheer physical presence of Hampton. We've shown that we can compete with teams in the lower half of the table but the sides in the top half are in a different class.
"All four of Hampton's goals were from headers, they didn't particularly open us up. Their delivery from set-pieces was good and we struggled to cope.
"Francisco Ramos saved a penalty in the first half so we it could have been worse going into half-time. We changed our marking at set-pieces for the second period and we had more possession but Hampton were still creating the better chances."
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The Magpies have just four games in which to stage the most miraculous of recoveries.
Brooks added: "The situation is now near-on impossible but we will keep working hard. Twenty-eight points at this stage of the season though is a poor return.
"I don't think you can ever concede defeat until it's mathematically certain so we will be positive and do all can but there is a reason why we are second from bottom.
"We need to make sure we add to the squad we have got and be strong enough if we do go down a level, as well as having more of a physical presence to the team.
"We have a core of players here who we would like to keep but we still need three or four new faces so there will be movement."
Mark Jermyn limped off midway through the first half and Brooks is hopeful the problem is nothing serious.
He said: "Mark took a knock to his calf and it tightened up so we brought Ivan Forbes on in his place. We will have a look at him this week ahead of Saturday's game against Hayes & Yeading, a game we will give a real go."
Posted by: Slade the Leveller, Dorchester on 9:15pm Tue 8 Apr 08
Doh! I wouldn't worry about the maths Shaun, your team just ain't good enough mate and that's why everyone else can say with total certainty that the Magpies are going down. It was fairly obvious back in October actually - don't know why it tooks so long to twig
Doh! I wouldn't worry about the maths Shaun, your team just ain't good enough mate and that's why everyone else can say with total certainty that the Magpies are going down. It was fairly obvious back in October actually - don't know why it tooks so long to twig
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