HAMWORTHY REC 3

BALTI SPORTS 0

BALTI Sports succumbed 3-0 to runaway leaders and defending Jewson Dorset Premier League champions Hamworthy Rec.

Rec secured their 19th victory in 21 games, extending their lead over Merley to eight points, but not without a fight as Balti acquitted themselves well despite rarely troubling the hosts’ goal.

A 30-yard shot on target from Danny Andrews was as good as Balti’s half got, Rec enjoying the majority of play with a slick midfield performance.

Rec got their noses in front on 15 minutes when Carl Edwards buried a finish into the roof of the net from Ed Fisher’s cross, following a costly drop from Balti keeper Andy Nott.

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Rec went 2-0 up when Joe Smith assisted John Webb in the 27th minute.

However, the hosts wasted chances to extend their lead as Ash Boyt fired over before Joe Smith and Jake Kelly also missing opportunities.

Smith struck the bar in the second half and went within inches of chipping a third, only for his effort to be cleared off the line.

Balti went close through Matt Chambers but the visitors were reduced to 10 men when centre-back Phil Anderson was sent off for two lunging tackles – his first dismissal in eight years at the club.

Rec used their numerical advantage to put the game to bed, Edwards showing expert composure to slide a finish past keeper Nott seven minutes from time.

Speaking to Echosport, Balti boss Marco Nott said: “We’ve gone there with a fairly young side and given it a go.

“We had a game plan first half to try and frustrate them a little bit. Second half we tried to be a bit more front-foot on them.

“But they’re a quality side, there’s no two ways about it. They’re by far the best side we’ve played this season.

“The way they knock the ball around and move on and off the ball is pretty superb. They’re hard to live with. If you make a mistake they’ll punish you, simple as that.

“Annoyingly for us, they didn’t have to work too hard for their goals. The first was a mistake from Andy, dropping a cross.

“Their second was a good goal, it was a one-two move, but we didn’t track our runner in midfield, he came through and went one-on-one with Andy and put it in.

“The majority of the play was theirs, we were trying to sit deep. I couldn’t fault our lads, they were superb up against a very strong side pushing to go up.

“We didn’t disgrace ourselves, which was good to see.”

Balti: A Nott, Grace, Anderson, Walker, Brisco, L Taylor, McClements (H Taylor 75), Rawlings (R Zima 60), Drummond, Lane (Chambers 60), Andrews.