DORCHESTER SPORTS 2

STURMINSTER NEWTON UNITED 1

DORCHESTER Sports earned their second Dorset Premier League win of the season at the Avenue Stadium after battling to see off Sturminster Newton United 2-1.

Sports were 1-0 down at half-time when Darren Spiller’s close-range finish put the Cherries ahead, only for Shaun Bessant and Darren Watts goals to hand Sports all three points.

Victory stopped a rot of three successive league defeats but it was not plain sailing for the hosts result-wise despite a display full of chances created.

Sports rained in 16 shots on target during the game but captain Darren Watts wasted a golden one-on-one chance after just two minutes, blazing over from close range.

Chances flooded in for the hosts, who nearly recorded goal of the season when Jamie Symes chested the ball down, dinked over two defenders and let rip from 20 yards only to see his effort smash the bar.

Sturminster’s goalkeeper made two more good saves before the away side shocked the Avenue when Spiller poked in on 20 minutes.

Unfazed by the goal, Sports kept pushing as Alex Godfrey hit the post before Jamie West and Gareth Will missed chances prior to half-time.

As the break approached the Cherries hit Sports on the counter but this time Spiller fired wide as the visitors went in 1-0 up.

Sports again came out firing with a Watts corner hitting the crossbar before Symes and Godfrey had shots well saved.

Having done everything but score, Sports finally got the equaliser as Shaun Bessant headed his first goal for the club, nodding home Watts’ corner on 56 minutes.

And Watts turned scorer on 65 minutes as the midfielder burst through the away defence to smash home his second goal of the season and seal a much-needed three points for Sports.

Home boss Ashley James told Echosport: “The performance was really good, positive.

“We should’ve been out of sight by half-time. How we went in 1-0 down is beyond anyone who was watching the game, but we did.

“We had a chat at half-time, it was very positive. We knew if we kept doing the right things in the second half we would eventually get our goals and come out on top – that’s what we did.

“Hopefully it gives us a boost going forward.”

Sports: Hutchings, Bessant, Anstey (Rawlings 60), Smith, A Gould, Watts, G Will (Samways 60), Gosney, West (J Steele 70), Godfrey, Symes.

CONTACT ME:

t: 01305 830999

e: neil.walton

@dorsetecho.co.uk

twitter: @EchoSportNeil