BALTI SPORTS 3

BLANDFORD UNITED 5

BALTI Sports crashed out of the Dorset Senior Trophy as Blandford United won a rain-sodden cup classic 5-3 at Weymouth College.

Defeat continued Balti’s horrid record in cup competitions, despite having led 3-2 with 15 minutes to play as the Royals scored three late goals to rub salt in their wounds.

In a fluctuating contest, Blandford opened the scoring five minutes into the game as Brad Pike danced through two challenges to slot past goalkeeper Andy Nott.

Balti dominated the rest of the half and were rewarded with an equaliser before the break when Danny Andrews’ deflected strike deceived Royals’ keeper Ryan Park.

Beginning a blizzard of three goals in 10 minutes, substitute Archie McCarthy restored Blandford’s lead on the hour, finishing off Mark Ford’s through pass for 2-1.

McCarthy’s goal revived Balti and the hosts set about building a lead of their own, midfielder Ethan Devaney scoring a rare header from Matt Chambers’ cross.

READ MORE: Blandford striker Mark Ford on playing as a striker and goalkeeper

Balti moved 3-2 up when right-back Che Curran curled a sumptuous strike into the top corner from 18 yards.

Balti’s Rory Zima hit the post but back came Blandford in a thrilling finale as the unmarked Steve Smith headed home a free-kick at the back stick.

Blandford picked apart Balti’s offside trap twice in the closing stages, McCarthy and Ford both scoring one-on-one goals to earn a second-round clash against Wimborne Town Reserves.

Speaking to Echosport, winning boss Josh Feirn said: “We seem to love thrillers in the cup.

“I’m more thrilled about the win purely because we needed a reaction after losing three on the bounce.

“If you go a fourth game losing you start to worry a bit and heads get dropped.

“Just to win was satisfying, it doesn’t matter who it was going to be against. We just needed one desperately to push us back on again.

“In the conditions it wasn’t ideal but we managed to get over the line.”

Balti manager Marco Nott said: “It was a really good game, it must’ve been good for the neutral, but unfortunately for us the cup hoodoo strikes again.

“Our confidence is back, we’re playing good football, but we went 1-0 down so we were chasing, then we went 3-2 up and that’s where I thought we should’ve seen the game out.

“We had about 15 minutes to go, we should’ve been sensible.

“We’re very naïve defensively as a team.”

Balti: A Nott, Curran, S Walker, Anderson, O’Shaughnessy, Nichols, Beals (Martins 85), R Zima, Devaney, Chambers (Grace 80), Andrews.

Royals: Park, John, Oliver, Smith, Parry, Stanley, Arnett (Mason 55), J Ford, T Pike (McCarthy 55), B Pike (Ayley 65), M Ford.