DORCHESTER Town boss Tom Killick believes beating promotion candidates Salisbury is a feather in the Magpies’ cap.

Until Saturday’s 1-0 win over the Whites, Dorchester’s only previous triumph this season against a top-five side in 10 attempts was the 3-2 win over Merthyr in January.

It makes Dorchester’s win, which keeps them seven points above the drop zone after Tiverton also won, all the more significant.

And the achievement was not lost on Killick, who told Echosport: “Salisbury are a powerful side, a very athletic side.

READ MORE: Dorchester Town 1-0 Salisbury - reaction

“You look at their starting XI and subs bench and you can see why they’re doing as well as they are.

“They’re powerful financially as a club and that’s reflected in their squad. So, overall, to win a game against opposition of that calibre is a real feather in our cap.

“Everyone does accept that with losing teams like Weston and Truro, Bracknell and Poole’s levels dropping, the gap between the top sides and bottom sides has reduced.

“Even so, we haven’t done amazingly well at getting results against those types of clubs.

“To do it against Salisbury, who in my view are very much one of the better sides in the league, we’re definitely making progress.”

And Killick attributed some of that progress to the cohesion within the Magpies’ dressing room.

He added: “One of the things I’m really big on as a manager is to try and achieve unity and spirit in the group. I believe we’ve got that in a big way.

“I really believe in trying to have an environment that players are happy in and are therefore able to produce their best. We’ve got an awful long way to go and we’re not safe by any means yet.

“I just feel the players are enjoying being at the club, enjoying each other and that’s something you’re always trying to achieve.

“If you can achieve that and you’re recruiting good players, you’re not going to go far wrong.

“People will get really wrapped up in coaches and captains, but I’ve always said at this level of football you’re going to stand and fall on recruitment.

“You’re going to stand and fall on the characters you’ve got in your team and the spirit that you’ve got.

“We’ve got a long way to go but I do feel we’re making some strides.”

Dorchester, who have only lost once in 12 matches, now travel to Winchester City on Saturday (3pm).