DORCHESTER Town boss Steve Thompson has stressed the need for the Magpies to “bounce back” from poor recent form ahead of their battle on Merthyr Town’s 3G pitch tomorrow (3pm).

Thompson’s men have failed to score in almost 300 minutes of football, claiming just one point in their last three Evo-Stik Southern Premier South clashes.

As a result, Dorchester are teetering on the edge of the relegation zone in 18th but could rise to 14th such is the congested outlook of the table.

In this season’s reverse fixture, Dorchester were held to a 0-0 draw at the Clayson Stadium but Thompson admitted his side’s superb away form is more encouraging.

He told Echosport: “It will be a tough game, they’re going reasonably well and we need to bounce back after picking up only one point from the last three games.

“The away form probably gives me more positive vibes than that 0-0 three or four months ago.

“But they’re a team that like to try and play through the midfield so it’ll be very much a passing game I would have thought.”

With the match being played on an artificial surface, Thompson is undeterred despite the wintery weather and his side’s patchy form on man-made turf.

He said: “I know they did have a game called off a couple of years ago if they get too much snow.

“I’ve never blamed the 3G for our home form and I never used it as a massive boost for the away game at Eastbourne.

“Like I said, it’s more our away form, travelling to places and putting on a decent performance and getting some good results is more the cause for optimism.”

Dorchester centre-back Brennan Camp has this week been called up to the Scotland Under-19s squad and Thompson was full of praise for the 18-year-old, who is nursing a gashed ankle.

“He’s done really well and it’s well deserved. Whenever he’s played for us, he’s done very well.

“If he isn’t fit for Aston Villa in the FA Youth Cup (tonight) I don’t think there’s any chance he’ll be fit 16 hours later for a trip to Merthyr.

“I always look at it that if you’ve got a slightly injured player you might be better off not playing him because if you bring him on, that’s two substitutions used if he then breaks down.

“He’s fighting to be fit for (Villa) and hopefully he’ll make that. The thing will be is, if he does play, whether Bournemouth will allow us to take him on the bench.

“It wouldn’t be good to play two 90 minutes, that’s not what professional players do. We’ll have to see. I’ve already asked a question on that one.”

Callum Rose (knee) and Luke Winsper are doubtful while Josh Williams will be assessed after picking up a gash on his shin while playing in Bridport’s 3-1 loss at Bitton in midweek.

Dom Panesar-Dower is likely to miss out despite nearing a return after illness.