DORCHESTER SPORTS 3

GILLINGHAM TOWN 1

DORCHESTER Sports produced another fantastic performance against a strong Gillingham side in their 3-1 Dorset Premier League win at the Clayson Stadium.

A second big victory in two games after beating Holt United 1-0 last weekend, Sports claimed all three points against a side that had triumphed 6-1 in pre-season and 4-1 in the return fixture earlier this campaign.

Sports were without in-form keeper Antony Frost and full-back Paul Hill so James Lock made his first start of the season in goal and vice-captain Brandon Heal came in at right wing-back.

Sports started the brighter and dominated the first half, taking the lead on 15 minutes when Joel Hewitt blasted past Daniel Cabell.

Hewitt might have put Sports two up when through one-on-one but this time Cabell saved well. However, the visiting goalkeeper could do nothing to stop Hewitt for a second time as the striker found the bottom corner to give Sports a commanding lead at half-time.

Gillingham started strongly in the second half and were on the front foot, mounting attack after attack with Ashley Clarke central to the renaissance.

Gareth Will cleared a header off the line on 65 minutes for Sports and Clarke fluffed his lines from two yards out as the hosts survived until 85 minutes when Heal took out Clarke in the box and Elliot Bevis converted the penalty to set up an exciting finale.

An end-to-end crescendo saw Gillingham put cross after cross into the box but Sports put their bodies on the line and delivered a sucker punch on the break when Richard Beasley ran through to slot past Cabell in injury-time.

Speaking to Echosport following the result, manager Ashley James felt Sports’ performance had produced “the perfect game”.

He said: “It’s very pleasing, we played well – we were fantastic.

“First half we were dominant, Joel should have had a hat-trick.

“We were getting in behind them and creating a lot of chances and limited them to very little.

“Second half our defensive unit was solid as a rock. We played the perfect game.

“When we got knocked out of the Dorset Senior Trophy we said our game management wasn’t good.”

James added: “Luckily, the lads have responded and it’s very, very pleasing.”

Dorchester Sports are next in action then they travel to league leaders Hamworthy Recreation on Saturday (3pm).

Sports: Frost, Heal, Gatehouse (Beals 55), B Thomas, Read, A Gould, (W Gould 80), Amor (Beasley 65), Samways, Will, Rawlings, Hewitt. Subs not used: Ross, Quinton

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