BALTI SPORTS 4

CORFE CASTLE 3

BALTI Sports survived a tumultuous test from Corfe Castle to edge a 4-3 victory in their Dorset Premier League clash at Weymouth College.

Balti fell behind inside the first minute when Sammy Nichols’ poor touch was pounced upon by Corfe who lobbed goalkeeper Andy Nott with a sublime 25-yard finish.

But the in-form Sean Zima soon equalised for the hosts when the midfielder curled a left-footed corner directly in, beating the visiting gloveman at the far post.

Zima scored his second screamer of the day 10 minutes later, showing supreme technique to volley a diagonal cross into the top corner first time from 25 yards.

Zima’s brace was at odds with a lacklustre Balti performance and Corfe soon levelled when a mistake from captain Ryan Dovell allowed the lethal Courtney Johnstone in to round Nott and score his 21st league goal of the season.

Worse was to follow for the hosts as a slack pass from Scott Walker was picked off by a Corfe forward who lobbed Nott for a second time to establish a 3-2 half-time lead.

Balti rampaged the Corfe half after the interval as Danny Andrews missed a one-on-one while both Dovell and Nichols missed clear chances at the back post.

Sports got the equaliser their incisive play deserved when Andrews took an early shot from a scything Ricky Lane through ball.

Suddenly, Balti sensed the win and after a barrage of corners and crosses into the Corfe box, Phil Anderson headed down for Dovell to touch home from a yard out to complete a topsy-turvy victory.

Speaking to Echosport, Balti boss Marco Nott admitted he was perplexed after winning the game amid what he perceived to be a poor performance from his side.

He said: “We were awful, I’m not going to paint a picture. (Corfe) deserved a draw.

“I felt a bit embarrassed after that win because we were so poor. It’s very rare I have to say a few words at half-time – that was one of them.

“It was a shocking display in that first half. We just let ourselves down, there was no energy, no tempo, no nothing.

“We went in there and took them for granted, we were so lucky to get away with the three points.”

On Corfe, Nott added: “They’re a tough team. They concede a lot but they are dangerous and do score a lot.

“You can see why they get points because if teams aren’t at the races they can beat anyone because they do work their socks off.”

Balti: A Nott, S Walker (R Walker 60), Anderson, Dovell, L Taylor, Nichols, Kenderdine, McClements, Zima, Andrews (Hickman 85), Lane. Sub not used: M Nott.