DORCHESTER SPORTS 1

BOURNEMOUTH UNI 2

DORCHESTER Sports saw their chances of cup silverware destroyed as Bournemouth University fought back to take a 2-1 victory at the Clayson Stadium and progress to the Dorset Senior Trophy second round.

Sports had taken a 10th-minute lead through Richard Beasley’s 18-yard strike, but Chloe Tape’s student team then stunned the hosts with two quickfire goals on the counter-attack from Clive Mackoni and Derek Hayford.

Tape’s men could also have netted twice more, Hayford having struck the bar with a fierce drive and Matthew Shaw smashing against the upright from 18 yards in the second half.

Sports did mount growing pressure on the University goal and carved out five good chances, only to be thwarted by the visiting goalkeeper as the students booked their place in the second round.

Speaking to Echosport, Sports’ manager Ashley James criticised his side’s “game management”.

He said: “I’m not sure if they knew much about us. We looked like we were on top and then suddenly we found ourselves 2-1 down.

“To be fair, second half we dominated but couldn’t find a way through. The two goals we conceded – I don’t want to say schoolboy – it was frustrating because we were on top. Our game management was poor.

“We got caught on the counter twice in the space of five minutes and unfortunately we couldn’t break them down second half.”

Asked if his side’s downfall was complacency, James said: “I think it was. We were playing really well in that opening 10 minutes. We were cruising.

“But we’ve been caught in possession on the halfway line, we didn’t deal with the long ball and found ourselves two on two.

“The second goal has come from our corner. They broke with two players, found ourselves four on three and we’re 2-1 down. We deserved to be losing at half-time.

“It was a pretty bad first-half performance. Without the ball it was as poor as I’ve seen us but we spring into life when we’ve got it.”

With arch-rivals Balti Sports knocking James’ men out of the League Cup in a 2-0 loss, Sports only have the league to focus on and now face tough assignments against Holt, Gillingham and Hamworthy Rec.

James said: “It’s a tough period for us but we’ve got to dig in and roll our sleeves up. We’ve got to work a lot harder than the (Bournemouth) first half.

“We need a reaction. These next three games we need to fight for everything. We’ve got to get our confidence back.”

Sports: Turner, Beals, Heal (Gatehouse 70), Read, P Thomas, Samways, Amor (W Gould 70), Will, R Beasley (P Hill 65), Hewitt, Rawlings