DORCHESTER SPORTS 2

MERE TOWN 3

DORCHESTER Sports let a two-goal cushion slip as Mere Town staged a dramatic comeback to earn a last-gasp 3-2 victory in their Dorset Premier League clash at the Avenue Stadium.

Joel Hewitt gave Sports an 11th-minute lead before Will Turland doubled the hosts’ buffer midway through the first half.

The concession of the second goal stirred Mere though, as Joe Paterson hit the bar before burying a move involving Ben Davies and Sam Biddescombe.

Paterson notched his second after striking from long-distance, finishing a solo run, before Nigel Benjamin headed home a corner deep into second-half stoppage time to break Sports’ hearts.

Speaking to Echosport, Sports’ boss Ashley James admitted his team lacked leadership for the tense finale.

He said: “I think we rode our luck a little bit at the start but even still we got the two goals. It’s very disappointing to let slip our management of the game.

“At the moment we’re not playing consistently over 90 minutes and it’s costing us. Last season we were winning them late on, this season we’re losing them, but you can’t fault the effort.

“We’re just missing a lot of leaders at the moment. We’ve got six or seven out but they could all wear the captain’s armband.”

Dorchester Sports travel to Gillingham Town tonight (7.45pm).

Sports: Turner, R Beasley, Hopkins, Gould, White, G Will, Churchill, Samways, Hewitt, Turland (Brumble 75), Rawlings.