CORFE CASTLE 0

DORCHESTER SPORTS 1

DORCHESTER Sports won a third straight league game, beating Corfe Castle 1-0 at the Fortress to keep pressure on the Jewson Dorset Premier League pacesetters.

Sports consolidated their fifth place and are now just six points off leaders Hamworthy Rec, with Merley, Sturminster Newton and Westland sandwiched inbetween.

Kicking down the slight slope and with the wind behind them, the visitors got off to the ideal start in the 18th minute.

New Sports signing Liam O’Shaughnessy was again among the goals, netting his second in two games since joining.

The left-back has been pushed forward as a winger at his new club and rewarded boss Ashley James with a clever finish at the near post, shooting after shaping to cross.

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Charlie Gosney then created a big chance for Nick Voss but Sports’ top scorer this season shot wide from close range.

Sports saw appeals for a penalty fall on deaf ears when Gosney was adjudged to have been tripped just outside the box.

Another controversial moment came when Voss unleashed a rasping drive from 20 yards, keeper Courtney Johnstone pushing his effort onto the bar.

Sports claimed the ball went over the line but the officials were unmoved.

The tables turned in the second half as Corfe came forward with the elements behind them.

Sports were reduced to 10 men when Shaun Bessant was sin-binned on 70 minutes and goalkeeper Nick Hutchings was suddenly a very busy man.

The former Dorchester and Poole custodian pulled off a top-class save to keep out a free-kick and then denied Corfe with a one-on-one chance with five minutes remaining.

Sports created very little in the second half but held on to claim their ninth league win of the season.

James told Echosport: “It was a scrappy affair. Good to get the three points, that’s the most important bit, but it wasn’t a game that you’ll look back on and have fond memories of.

“It’s three points, another away win and another one ticked off. We can take some good character from the second-half performance where we had to dig really deep.”

Assessing the decision not to award a goal to Voss, James added: “Nick’s hit one from about 20 yards and it’s gone so far over the line it’s nearly hit the back of the net.

“It’s bounced out Frank Lampard style so that was basically a goal. We had a few more chances and it could’ve been five, six, seven at half-time.

“But we only went in at 1-0 and it was backs to the wall second half.”

Sports: Hutchings, O’Shaughnessy, J Symes, Bessant, Heal, Samways, Churchill, Voss (Oates 70), Godfrey, Gosney, A Symes (G Will 55). Sub not used: Lock.