MARK Morris is facing a battle to keep Martyn Sullivan at the Avenue Stadium.

The Dorchester Town boss wants the former Plymouth Argyle midfielder to spearhead the Magpies' Dr Martens Eastern Division promotion challenge next season.

But Sullivan is stalling over the terms of a new one-year deal and is unlikely to commit himself for at least another month.

"The gaffer made me an offer at the end of last season," Sullivan explained, "but to be honest I haven't really had a lot of time to think about it.

"I'm getting married in three weeks and arrangements for that have taken up a lot of my time and I've also been doing various training courses for my job as a school PE teacher.

"I've enjoyed seven very happy seasons at Dorchester and it would be a big wrench to leave the club now, but there are definitely a few things I need to talk about with Mark."

He added: "I know he's on holiday at the moment and now I've got a busy few weeks coming up, and so it will probably be about another four weeks before we can get together for a chat."

Sullivan admitted that remuneration was one detail he wished to discuss with his manager, but it's not the Plymouth-based player's major concern.

The 27-year-old explained: "Missing out on promotion last season was really disappointing and it was particularly hard for players like myself and Danny O'Hagan because we both live down in Plymouth.

"When we were relegated from the Premier Division and placed in the Eastern Division, it meant hours and hours of extra travelling to the other side of the country and it really began to take its toll towards the end of the season.

"In the Premier Division we could drive up the motorway to Taunton and meet the coach there for trips to the Midlands and beyond, but playing in the Eastern section has meant regular 15 or 16 hour days.

"The thought of another season doing that doesn't exactly thrill me, but if I can sort things out and get the contract signed, then obviously I'll be going all out to make sure we win promotion next year.

"My other concern is the fact that I'm going full-time with my job in September which will mean a huge change in lifestyle and these are all things I need to discuss."

However, Magpies reserve team boss Phil Simkin is confident the two parties will reach an agreement.

"Obviously we want Sully to re-sign," he said, "but the club considers the offer on the table to be both reasonable and fair.

"I know the lad's got a few things he wants to iron out with Mark, but I think that once they can get together and talk it over, things will be sorted pretty quickly."