DORCHESTER Town boss Steve Thompson admits the Magpies are “in a battle” ahead of their trip to Evo-Stik Southern Premier South rivals Chesham United tomorrow (3pm).

Thompson’s men were humiliated 6-0 at home by Farnborough on Tuesday night and next face a rejuvenated Chesham side, 5-0 victors over Dorchester’s 10 men at the Clayson Stadium in November.

The Generals are one of the form teams in the division, despite their placing of 19th, with the Generals winning six of their last 10 games and losing just twice.

However, the Magpies boast a superb away league record following the earning of 23 points from 13 games – the second-best copybook on the road.

Statistics were of little consolation to Thompson, though, the Magpies’ manager left reeling after the club’s biggest defeat for over two years.

He told Echosport: “We’re in a right battle with plenty of other teams. It wouldn’t matter if it was tight or not tight, I can’t take solace after (the Farnborough) result.

“There’s various reasons for the goals, whether it’s giving the ball away, not tracking the runner for the first goal was the problem.

“Unbelievably in a 6-0 home defeat, usually if you get beaten 6-0 at home, you think ‘the whole team’s had a real bad time’.

“I actually thought there’s maybe two players out there that have had good games, which is crazy.

“I’m not going to name those players, I don’t want to embarrass certain players by naming them or not. Everything that could go wrong went wrong.”

Thompson was also keen to keep focused on the larger task at hand rather than dwell on the Boro thrashing.

He said: “I think we have to try and look at the bigger picture rather than one game, the picture over the last six or seven games.

“That’s the first defeat since Weymouth. It’s a pattern that’s happened at home. Swindon Supermarine, Hendon, Chesham, (Farnborough).

“It’s a bit baffling and crazy that we’re second in away form and second worst in home form.

“The only thing stopping us being worse in home form is that Staines are having such an unbelievably bad season, else it’d be worse.

“We had an inquest after the Harrow away game, I felt that did us a lot of good, and after the Chesham game.

“I can’t give you a reason why we’re taking a reasonable number of chances away – there’s no reason for that, unless it’s in the psyche of the players now that we can’t score at home.”

Ben Seymour, Harry Kite and Brennan Camp should return after FA Youth Cup endeavours with their parent clubs kept them out of the Farnborough clash.