CHICKERELL UNITED 1 SWANAGE T&H 0

CHICKERELL United stretched their unbeaten run to 14 games as Ashley Smith scored the winning goal to ground high-flying Swanage Town & Herston.

The midfielder struck in the first half to keep the Chickens’ hopes of a top three finish alive.

Maurice Welch’s side currently lie sixth in the Dorset Premier League but have games in hand over all the sides above them, including the Swans who have now completed their season.

Reflecting on the victory, Welch said: “It was an excellent result. Swanage are a good side and they worked really hard.

“We lost Graham Biles before the game due to injury so I had to re-jig things and move Dan Welch to the back.

“But he, Scott Henley and Gavin Daniels deserve a special mention. Liam Miles and Josh Evans were also superb in front of the back three.

“Ashley Smith worked tirelessly and he got the goal on 35 minutes. We put seven or eight passes together and he finished it off.

“There weren’t many chances created in the first half but we took ours. Swanage had the wind behind them in the second half but we defended well.

“It wasn’t a great game and it was a bit niggly. We had seven or eight bookings I think and they had three but it wasn’t a dirty game.

“Swanage made it tough for us but I’m really pleased with the win. That’s now 14 games unbeaten, which is excellent.”

Chickerell still have six league games left to play and sit eight points adrift of second-placed Poole Borough.

Welch added: “We’ve got a lot of the top teams still to play so it’s in our hands as to how far up the table we finish.”

Chickens: Weeks, Henley, D Welch, Daniels, Coltart, Miles, Evans, Smith, Sibley (Charles 70), Beads (Roper 75), White. Sub not used: Biles.