CRANBORNE 1

DORCHESTER SPORTS 5

DORCHESTER Sports advanced to the Dorset Senior Trophy second round with a 5-1 win at a soaking-wet Cranborne.

Sports, whose opposition play one division beneath them in the Dorset Senior League, were looking to carry on from Tuesday’s impressive win over Merley Cobham Sports.

After a good start, it did not take the visitors long to take the lead when Jamie Quinton’s through ball found Alex Godfrey, the striker sliding his shot past the home keeper after three minutes.

The game was now end to end with both keepers in fine form, but the Cranes were piling on the pressure and it paid off as James McFarlane scored via a deflection off a Sports defender for a 1-1 half-time scoreline.

READ MORE: Dorchester Sports end Merley's incredible 43-game winning streak

Sports’ frustrations were clear as Nick Voss was sin-binned for 10 minutes but the visitors held strong until Voss was back.

The turning point arguably came through the introduction of Steve Churchill and Owen Peart on 65 minutes.

Good work from Churchill found captain Jamie Samways to fire Sports ahead on 70 minutes and Godfrey then added two more quick goals to complete his hat-trick.

At 4-1, Sports added late gloss to the outcome as Peart and Voss combined for the former to score in appalling conditions.

Speaking to Echosport, away boss Ashley James said: “It was close up until the 65th, 70th minute.

“They were giving a really good account of themselves, made it hard for us.

“It wasn’t only really until we made the two changes that we got a foothold in the game and created a few more chances.

“We grew into the game in bad conditions and in the end we got the win.”

Sports were so short on players due to injury and unavailability that James had placed himself on the bench if needs be.

“I haven’t played for 10 years so it would’ve been a case of coming on where it was needed,” James revealed.

“We’ve got a bodies back for Ham Rec on Saturday, which is nice. Tuesday was such a battle against Merley and the first half (at Cranborne) we looked leggy.

“Everyone gave so much in that game. We had four or five injuries but we managed to rest a couple as well.

“Hopefully against Ham Rec we can give another good account of ourselves. It’s another massive game.”

Sports: M Peart, Hankin, Hopkins, Bessant, J Steele, Samways, Symes, Voss, Brumble (O Peart 65), Quinton (Churchill 65), Godfrey.