DORCHESTER Town boss Steve Thompson admitted the Magpies’ 3-2 Evo-Stik Southern Premier South win at Tiverton Town “had its scares along the way”.

Thompson’s men conceded in the second minute when Levi Landricombe shot across Kingsley Latham before a Ben Seymour double – the latter a penalty – overcame the deficit.

Landricombe levelled the scores with 25 minutes to play but Aaron Rodriguez scored the eventual winner on 84 minutes before Jamie Price’s poor stoppage-time penalty miss failed to peg Dorchester back.

Dorchester were deterred from their usual passing style of play by an uneven playing surface and Thompson explained how the Magpies battled the conditions.

He told Echosport: “(It was) a good win, a very difficult pitch to play on, very boggy, bumpy.

“We had to play a little bit different, we’ve had to go a little bit more direct and in the end we’ve won 3-2. A great result but it had its scares along the way.”

He added: “When you play on a pitch like that it’s very hard to play a short, passing game. You have to be a little bit more direct. I told the players this and it’s not something that we’re known or renowned for being good at.

“I thought it would be a very, very tough test and it was in many ways. The players responded well to it and tried to carry out the different tactics and on the whole performed them pretty well.”

Dorchester’s change in approach was highlighted by Thompson as being the major positive to take away from the encounter.

He said: “The most pleasing thing was that we had to win a different way, we had to be a lot more direct in the way we played.

“It’s asking a lot when you go away from home and you play a 3-4-3 which is an unbelievably attacking system. Not many teams do that.

“I just felt with the personnel available to me, obviously with four out, we had to go the same way as we went at home to Wimborne. Those are the only two games we’ve done that this season.”

With Cameron Murray, Harry Kite and Ross Carmichael all out, Dorchester suffered a further blow when Callum Rose was subbed with a back complaint.

Thompson said: “Callum had to come off 15 minutes from the end with a back problem. His back spasmed up so he couldn’t run. We’re just hopeful that that’s not another problem for Saturday.”

Thompson also revealed talks are at an advanced stage to extend the loan deal of goalkeeper Kingsley Latham from Southampton.

He said: “I spoke with Southampton and we’re just waiting to find out (today) whether that’s going to go ahead.

“Harry (Kite’s) is not up for another two weeks yet. I have spoken with Exeter about that situation.”