BALTI SPORTS 3

SHERBORNE TOWN RES 1

BALTI Sports climbed into fourth place in the Dorset Premier League table after a 3-1 home win over Sherborne Town Reserves.

Balti are now unbeaten in four matches and have claimed ten points in that time, bouncing back tremendously from a 5-0 opening-day defeat at Wimborne Reserves.

Key to this victory was the belligerence of new striker Derek Wall.

His signing has typified a more youthful, hungrier Balti than last season following their radical overhaul in the summer.

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And he put the Weymouth-based club 1-0 up against the Zebras, heading home Danny Andrews’ free-kick.

Wall was then brought down before half-time for a penalty but Andrews’ spot-kick was brilliantly saved by the impressive Sherborne goalkeeper Ryan Knibbs.

Knibbs was busy again to keep out Wall and Louis Gear in one-on-ones during the second half but he could do nothing about a third clean-through chance as Wall stroked home for his brace.

Gear then provided for centre-back Jake Hawker to head home a corner but Sherborne grabbed a late consolation when Alfie Cawley blasted home from 20 yards past Balti keeper Harrison Wallis.

Speaking to Echosport, Balti boss Marco Nott said: “We’re in a good vein of form at the moment, it’s nice.

“We put back-to-back wins together as well, which is always hard in our league. The lads have been brilliant, they’re slowly learning how to play together.

“We’ve got a large squad, we’re rotating it fairly and everyone seems happy. We’re scoring at one end and keeping them out at the other, it’s going really well.

“I definitely think after last season’s horror show that people thought we were going to be the whipping boys this season.

“But we’ve definitely been a surprise package. By the looks of it, we’ve got a good little side.

“We’re in the early stages and we’ll become stronger. It’s just trying to make sure they get the message to keep going and enjoy our football.”

Balti now travel to bottom side Sturminster Marshall tomorrow (3pm).

Nott said: “We had two really tough games there last year, we lost in the cup and league within two weeks of each other.

“It’s quite a tricky pitch to go to, it can be challenging there. I’ve seen they’ve not started too well, which is a shame.

“You never know in this league, overnight they could come together. We’ve got to be on our guard and try and get a third win in a row.”

Stef Stavrianos and Matty Chambers are expected to return from holiday, while Wall (knee) is a doubt and Fin Jarvis is unavailable.

Balti: Wallis, Rupp, Butcher, Hawker, Allison, Nichols, James, F Jarvis (Summers 60), Andrews (Devaney 55), Gear (Batchelor 75), Wall (Starr 80). Sub not used: Clark.