DORCHESTER Town Under-23s manager Brian Churchill was “chuffed to bits” after watching his young Magpies team complete an unforgettable league and cup double.
Dorchester beat Gosport 5-1 at the Avenue Stadium to win the Hampshire Combination and Development League Challenge Cup.
It added to their Division West league title, presented to the Magpies before kick-off.
And Churchill’s charges had to come from behind to achieve the double after Gosport’s Ethan Fox curled home a free-kick from out wide in the first half.
Ben Symes scored a penalty after Steven Cully saw red for bringing down Ruben Smith, before Kriss Radivojsa made it 2-1 at the break.
Marcus Smith’s magnificent free-kick, Ash Guppy’s backheel and Josh Phillips’ late finish added gloss to an already glittering night for the Magpies.
READ MORE: Dorchester Town U23s 5-1 Gosport Borough U23s - match report
Speaking to Echosport, Churchill said: “I’m chuffed to bits.
“At the start of the season we set that group of lads an objective to get to a cup final and be first or second in the league.
“They’ve surpassed that by winning the league and that cup comfortably against a Gosport side that have only lost three times all season – fantastic result.”
He added: “I thought we started quite poorly, looked a bit nervous and probably a little bit of a hangover from last week’s cup final (1-0 defeat to Stoneham).
“Once we got that equaliser, there was only one team going to win. Obviously, the sending off for them changed the game a bit.
“But that gave us an opportunity to show how we can switch the ball really well at speed, create chances and take them.”
Churchill had no doubt about the penalty and red card.
“There wasn’t any objections from anyone, stonewall,” he said.
“It’s great to see the referee apply the rules of the game correctly because it would’ve been easy for him to only show a yellow. It was a straight red.”
Dorchester turned on the style in the second half with three stunning goals.
“Marcus, that free-kick doesn’t happen very often but boy did he enjoy it,” Churchill said.
“It was a full 30 yards, dipped into the bottom corner, didn’t bounce and he loved that one. He celebrated that!
“Fair play to him for taking that on and executing it to the highest order.”
On star player Phillips, who was not risked to start due to a knee issue, Churchill added: “Josh was carrying a little bit of an injury.
“I had a really difficult decision to put him as sub. Part of his development is how he responded. He could’ve gone back into his shell but he took it well and when his chance came, boy did he take it.
“I’m thoroughly impressed with Josh. I think he’s scored 14 goals from right-back now. He’s our second-highest goalscorer.
“You know you’re going to get an end product from Josh and he possibly could’ve had two.”
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