9:07am Friday 5th March 2010
By Ky Capel & Rob Meech
BRIDPORT will be crowned Dorset & Wilts One South champions if they avoid defeat at Swanage & Wareham Sec-onds tomorrow (2.30pm).
The Blues stretched their unbeaten sequence to 13 matches last weekend after Salisbury Seconds forfeited the points having been unable to raise a side.
And the upshot is Bridport, who remain 10 points clear at the summit, need only draw one of their last four matches to rubberstamp their elevation to Southern Counties South.
Coach Paul Ninnim said: “We would have liked to play Salisbury to get revenge for our earlier defeat to them.
“But we know one win will crown us champions. Hopefully we can sneak it at Swanage this weekend but we know it won’t be easy because they haven’t lost for a while.”
Ninnim is sweating on the fitness of Rob Sullivan, Idris Croft and Dave Bullock, who have all been nursing niggles.
For Bridport, who have had an air of invincibility about them this term, capturing league glory will banish the memories of two successive botched attempts.
Dorchester, who look set to be joined in Southern Counties South by Bridport next season, entertain league leaders Frome tomorrow (2.30pm).
Victory would put the county town side three points behind tomorrow’s visitors, but having played one game more.
Head coach Mike Sprules said: “We’re under no illusions. We’re not yet complete enough to win the league but we want to finish as high as we can and perhaps have a say in who does win it.
“When we last played Frome we had a good game and it was one we lost more than they won. Tomorrow we have a chance to put that right.”
Back in Dorset & Wilts One South, Weymouth continue their push for a second-place finish when they take on Westbury at Monmouth Avenue (2.30pm).
Seasiders’ skipper Mark Sample said: “We’ve beaten them twice at their place this season already so we go into tomorrow’s game confident, especially as we are at home.”
Adam Hoxey (knee) and Steven Calbraith (unavailable) miss out but Anthony Cowburn and Will Hughes return to the fold.
Struggling Puddletown welcome mid-table Oakmeadians Seconds to Greenfields (2.30pm).
The Villagers, aiming to break a dismal run of 16 games without a win, are hopeful of causing an upset against their Bournemouth- based opponents, who were unable to raise a side for their last fixture on the road.
Paul Chidley, who suffered an injury in last week’s 39-3 defeat by Swanage & Wareham Seconds, remains doubtful, but the experienced trio of Ray Stephens, Rob Jameson and Harlan Hill all return to bolster captain Dan Udell’s relegation-threatened squad.
Elsewhere, Swanage & Wareham’s first team host Reading Abbey (2.30pm) in South West One East.
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