BALTI SPORTS 4

WAREHAM RANGERS 1

BALTI Sports maintained their impressive unbeaten start to the Dorset Premier League season with a 4-1 win over Wareham Rangers at Weymouth College.

After the exertions of a 1-1 draw with Dorchester Sports last time out, Balti were under-par but still had too much for Rangers as Sammy Nichols headed home from point-blank range.

Liam Taylor and Sean Zima then combined on the left for the move of the match, Ricky Lane coolly slotting home a through ball.

Wareham pulled a goal back with a one-on-one finish just before half-time but an improved second-half from Balti put the game to bed as Zima curled a free-kick home – despite Wareham still organising their wall.

Zima’s goal killed the contest and, after Wareham were reduced to ten men for foul and abusive language, Nichols finished the scoring with his second header from a Stef Stavrianos corner.

Speaking to Echosport, boss Marco Nott said: “We didn’t actually play very well, the scoreline flattered us. (Wareham) gave it their all and tired at the end.

“We got a dubious third goal to kill the game, but we were poor on the day.”

Balti now host Portland United Reserves at Weymouth College tonight (6.30pm).

Nott said: “We’re coming into the game like we’re playing their first-team. We’ve got to be bang at it. If we play anything like we did on Saturday we’ll come unstuck.”

Charlie Kenderdine, Ethan Devaney, Sanchez Baker, Che Curran and Jack Drummond all return, but Karl Dean is a long-term absentee.

Balti: A Nott, Taylor (O’Shaughnessy 60), Burton, Anderson, R Walker, Zima (Moore 70), S Walker (McClements 60), Nichols, Stavrianos, Lane, Andrews.