DORCHESTER move to cup campaigns this weekend for both the first and the A sides, as the first squad travel to Bradford on Avon in the Dorset Senior Cup, while the A team travel to Warminster in the Second XV Senior Shield.

Both encounters are likely to be tough affairs for Dorchester who, in respective league action fielded three winning sides last weekend.

The first-team pack has the return of two of last season’s regulars with Lee King returning to the second row, as captain Adam Makepeace moves to number eight, and Liam Kershaw replaces last week’s tryscoring debutant Josh Ovey, due to work commitments.

Laurence Burch comes in from the A XV to partner King in the second row, and both Tom Bamlett and Josh Hosford start this week after coming off the bench in last week’s win over Thatcham.

Having scored last week from the wing, George Foot returns to first-team duty at centre with Matt Read also returning to the first-team bench plus Liam Moss and Gregor Hallett joining him.

Rob Parker’s A XV will travel with as strong a side as possible due to availability.

Head coaches Martyn Peel and Eral Anderson expressed frustration at the low availability for the cup games given last weekend’s successes.

Sunday service is resumed as normal with the junior section having two home games as the under-14s entertain Oakmeadians at Coburg Road in the Dorset and Wilts cup at 11am with the Colts welcoming Swanage & Wareham in the afternoon for a 2pm kick off.

The under-13s and under-15s travel to Sherborne and Weymouth & Portland respectively.

Elsewhere, Puddletown host Oakmeadians in the Dorset Senior Vase first round, while Swanage and Wareham host Supermarine (both at 2.30pm).

Meanwhile, Weymouth & Portland coach Simon Litster confirmed to Echosport the Seahorses’ decision to omit themselves from cup competition this season to protect a thin squad.

The club will instead play social friendlies on cup weekends.

He said: “We decided to opt out of the cup this year and concentrate on the league.

“With a limited squad we felt that to enter the cup as well as the league would be putting ourselves under undue pressure.

“It think it’s the right decision and gives our guys a bit of rest bite.

“When we should have cup games we’ve arranged social fixtures.”

The first such social fixture is at Puddletown tomorrow.