DORCHESTER SPORTS 1

BALTI SPORTS 1

DORCHESTER Sports manager Ashley James insisted his side had dropped two points after drawing 1-1 with rivals Balti Sports at the Avenue Stadium in their Dorset Premier League derby.

Jamie Samways opened the scoring for Dorchester on 20 minutes, before Balti’s Danny Andrews found Shane Lock at the back post to equalise 60 seconds after half-time.

James told Echosport his team were dominant in the first half and created numerous opportunities to add to their lead, but were thwarted by an excellent display from Balti stopper Andy Nott.

He said: “The first-half performance was unbelievable, we dominated. We had four or five good chances. (The players) did everything we asked. It was the same as Saturday’s performance but we didn’t go five up.

“In the end we showed good character. They did pile on the pressure but we stuck in and rode it out. We had the best of the final 15 minutes and could have scored a winner.

“It was a great derby, tense with a good crowd and atmosphere. Everyone I’ve spoken to said it was a great game to watch.”

But James conceded Sports’ match against Shaftesbury today (3pm) is “vital” if his side want to succeed this season.

He said: “We’ve got to go to Shaftesbury now and win. It’s vital now if we really want to do well. If we can follow up the draw with a win it makes the draw OK.”

Balti manager Marco Nott described the derby as “absolutely hectic” and reserved praise for his brother Andy, who made several crucial saves in the first half.

“It was a typical derby game really. It was absolutely hectic, end to end. If it wasn’t for Andy we would have been three or four down. We didn’t play anywhere near what we wanted to play.

“But we came out and scored within a minute. We got the full backs forward, went down the left and Danny crossed for Shane.

“We grew into the game but we fell foul of the sin-bin rule for dissent. Ash Batchelor gave away a foul, the ref blew up and Ash said something. There didn’t seem like there were any complaints.

“As it happened and how Dorchester played, I think a point was a good result,” he said.

Dorchester: Turner, Lochrie, Peart, Read, Sibley, Amor (Will 60), Samways, Whyte, Beasley (Heal 70), Symes, Turland (Pashen 75). Subs not used: Hewitt, Frost.

Balti: A Nott, Batchelor, Anderson, Roberts, Pearce, Lock (Zima 80), Nichols (Proffitt 80), Kenderdine, Taylor (Preece 80), Andrews, Lane. Subs not used: Burton, M Nott

CONTACT ME:

t: 01305 830990

e: neil.walton

@dorsetecho.co.uk

twitter: @EchoSportNeil