MERLEY COBHAM SPORTS 3

BALTI SPORTS 0

BALTI Sports suffered a 3-0 defeat at title-challenging Merley Cobham Sports as their poor Jewson Dorset Premier League form continued.

Balti have now won just three times in 11 league games – and the result was a vast improvement on their 10-3 mauling at Merley last season.

Merley took the lead with just 10 players on the pitch, Josh Buck’s sin-bin mattering little as former Dorchester Town midfielder Sam Lanahan crossed for Richie Sands to head home in the 21st minute.

Merley were 2-0 up 10 minutes later when Elliot Rossiter crossed for Ellis George to head past Andy Nott.

Only the form of Nott kept the score respectable as the Balti keeper pushed several shots onto the woodwork.

READ MORE: Balti Sports 2-4 Hamworthy United Reserves - match report

Balti defender Che Curran saw two yellows for dissent and his dismissal opened up gaps as the game became stretched.

Balti’s Jack Drummond came close to making it 2-1 when Andy Knights tipped Jack Drummond’s shot onto the post.

But Merley finally put the game to bed in the 88th minute when Harry Clent’s looping cross found its way into the far corner for 3-0.

Speaking to Echosport, Balti boss Marco Nott said: “I thought we were brilliant. I was really worried that it could be a similar score to last time.

“We managed to scrape 12 players in the end. We went there short as we have done all season. I thought we gave a good account of ourselves.

“There were a couple of poor goals we gave away in the first half. But second half we changed our style and it seemed to work – I thought we were brilliant.

“We really stood up and it was what I needed to see. I’ve been questioning it. We dug deep, carried a threat and had a big chance at 2-0 to make it 2-1.

“It was a one-on-one and the keeper made a brilliant save. If that goes in, it could’ve been different.

“Their third was a spawny one, a cross-shot-type thing. It surprised everyone when it went in the back of the net.

“I thought we kept them to very few chances, certainly second half. We controlled the pace of the game quite well.

“We tried to drag it as late as possible, try and get a goal and see what happened. But we missed that chance, unfortunately.

“With that, we had a red card, they got a third and that was that.”

Balti: A Nott, Curran, S Walker, Beals, Taylor (Heggie 70), R Zima, Devaney, Nichols, Riley, Drummond, Andrews.