DEBUT keeper Les Elsworth impressed watching Magpies boss Mark Morris when the club's second string overcame Wessex League opponents in their final friendly last night.
The 38-year-old BT cabler from Marnhull, who has never played higher in the non-League pyramid than the Dorset Premier League with Stourpaine, could well find himself stepping up into the Dr Martens Premier Division this season as cover for regular keeper Mark Ormerod.
"Les acquitted himself very well," said Dorchester's reserve team manager Phil Simkin today. "He's very agile, his kicking is tremendous and he's a great talker which is what I need alongside all the youngsters I have in the reserves.
"Mark (Morris) couldn't believe that he hadn't played at a higher level and said on that performance he would have no qualms at all on calling him up into the first team."
Aaron Turner converted a Ryan Dovell pass to put the Magpies ahead last night after 25 minutes and then provided the pass for Rob Murray to fire a second into the top corner for a second after the break.
Simkin had a major reshuffle in the second half to take a look at trialists including ex-Lewes striker Warren Briley and county youth player Richard Edwards before Ben Osborne finally beat Elsworth eight minutes from time with an unstoppable volley from 25 yards.
Dorchester Res: Elsworth, Wilson, S Langrish, Poore, Lock, G Langrish, Legg, Critchell, Dovell, Turner, Murray. Subs used Dronyk, Christopher, Edwards, Nash, Vincent, Briley.
* Dr Martens League newcomers Team Bath refused to continue after 62 minutes of their friendly against Salisbury City last night and walked off the pitch.
Their protest was over some of the Wiltshire side's tackling which had already brought bookings for ex-Terra Gary Funnell, Wayne Turk and Adam Wallace.
Team Bath were leading 2-0 at the time with goals from Kevin Watson and David Blake.
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