DORCHESTER captain Dan Belt has played down the “hype” surrounding their pivotal Dorset Premier League clash with table-toppers Wimborne at Dorchester Rec tomorrow (1pm).

Belt’s men were given a title lifeline last weekend after their defeat of Martinstown, coupled with Poole’s win over leaders Wimborne, closed the gap to 12 points.

Poole are handily placed in second, seven points above Dorchester who know a victory over Wimborne could see them retake the summit if results go their way.

Knowing the magnitude of the game, Belt admitted he could not let the importance of the game cloud his team’s performance.

READ MORE: Dorchester beat Martinstown by four wickets

He told Echosport: “We can’t hype up the game too much and put pressure on ourselves that we have to beat them.

“We’ll just go out there and perform as close to 100 per cent as we can and see what that brings us.”

Asked if he sensed vulnerability in Wimborne given their loss last week, Belt said: “Yeah, a little bit.

“Going on the game we lost at their place, it could’ve gone either way. I can’t say they beat us comprehensively.

“We’ll go into it with confidence with it being at home and try and pick the win up.”

Jon Legg (unavailable) is replaced by the returning Eral Anderson.

Dorchester: Carty, Ryall, Rajendar, Anderson, Peak, Mitchem, Belt, Barrett, Owens, Nobbs, Dunham.

Dorchester Seconds visit Shaftesbury in County Division Two, while Dorchester Thirds travel to Lytchett in Division Six (both 1.30pm tomorrow).

Also in the Premier League, Bere Regis are aiming to build on their 128-run win over Christchurch when they journey to Cattistock & Symene tomorrow (1pm).

The Foxes have been in resurgent form of late, winning two of their past three matches to climb 15 points above Puddletown in the sole relegation place.

And Bere skipper Brian Keegan, whose team occupy fourth, is consequently expecting a more difficult test than the table suggests.

He said: “They’ve definitely picked up, pushed Poole really close a few weeks back and won on Saturday as well.

“They’re going to be confident and we’ll go into it with our eyes wide open. Just because the table says where they are doesn’t mean it’s going to be a walkover.

“We have to give them respect for their results and efforts.”

Cattistock skipper Steve Tucker said: "When we played Bere earlier in the season, we let ourselves down a bit, especially with the bat. They have had some really positive results this season so we are looking forward to the challenge.

"We've had some great performances in the past few weeks.

"Confidence is certainly growing within the squad, some of the boys are finding form at a key time for us and we have a couple lads back from injuries.

"It's nice to be off the bottom of the table but we know there's plenty more points out there for us to take this season."

Bere Regis make two changes, with Rich Payne and Pete Macklin missing out for Lyndon White and Gordon Fraser, the latter making his debut after signing from Hamworthy Rec.

Bere: M King, Russell, S Goodhew, Robertson, T Goodhew, Murphy, Macklin, Payne, Munnings, Rogerson, Keegan.

Foxes: Tucker, Mullins, Lewis, King, Legg, Good, Damen, Wyrill, Bradley, Robertson, Etherington.

Bere main sponsor: Booth Gadenne

Bere first and second XI match ball sponsor: Dorset Reclamation

Bere Regis Seconds host Division Three leaders Cerne Valley tomorrow (1.30pm).

Bere Regis could end up doing Premier League neighbours Puddletown a huge favour when they face Christchurch at Hurn Bridge tomorrow (1pm).

Adam Barrett’s men have won one more game than Cattistock & Symene but still find themselves 15 points adrift of the Foxes.

As a result, they badly need a victory that would also drag eighth-placed Christchurch into the relegation picture, the east Dorset side only another two points further up the ladder.

Barrett said: “It’s fair to say that the Christchurch game is a must-win game for us now.

“Cattistock have picked up form really well in the last few weeks. If they carry on the way they are, you’d expect them to pull clear.

“It’s definitely a big game this weekend, undoubtedly our biggest of the season and one we need to win to have any chance.”

Puddletown are without the injured Adam Weir but Callum Chaldecott returns.

Puddletown: Snow, Barrett, C Chaldecott, Ry Norman, Re Norman, Eastment, D Morris, J Morris, Clarke, Wint, AN Other.

Puddletown Seconds travel to Stalbridge Development in Division Five tomorrow (1.30pm), looking to escape the final relegation place.

Another Premier League side looking over their shoulder is Martinstown, who are only 32 points clear of the trap door with five games still to play.

Charlie Durant’s side visit Sherborne tomorrow (1pm) and the peril of their situation, caused by four straight defeats, is not lost on the Town skipper.

He said: “It’s not an easy place to go and not somewhere you want to be heading after losing four on the bounce.

“As a club, I personally know where we are. I just hope everyone knows that we are in serious danger of getting sucked into a relegation battle.

“Hopefully, if we do get sucked down there then we can have some of the senior players come out of the woodwork and help the club.

“We’re definitely a quality outfit. We came third last season and then this season we’ve not had the same sort of availability.

“Two of the teams below us are playing each other this week and if we lose, don’t get many points and one of them picks up a big-point win, then we’re in serious trouble.”

Martinstown are without Sam Kershaw and George Pope but Ry Gerety and Archie Gardner come in.

Martinstown: Nichols, F Williams, W Maltby, S Williams, R Gerety, T Pope, Blair, Gardner, Durant, McNab, Coombs.

Ninth-placed Martinstown Seconds host Sherborne Seconds in Division Three tomorrow (1.30pm) aiming to lift themselves out of relegation danger.

In Division One, Portland Red Triangle are also in danger of slipping into the bottom two.

Matt Randell’s men are seventh and 29 points ahead of Marnhull in ninth going into their meeting with title-chasing Poole Town Seconds at Reforne tomorrow (1.30pm).

Triangle are seeking to avoid a hat-trick of defeats and could climb into fifth with a victory, provided other results go their way.

Randell said: “We’ve got to break that losing cycle.

“Some of the lads have certainly been going into games not overly confident and just turning up to get points and not looking for the win, which is never a good place to be.

“You’ve got to look to win every game and pick up points along the way. I’m hoping it will be a shift in mentality for everyone this week.

“It will be nice for me to be back playing to help with that.”

Portland (from): M Barrett, Laws, J Adkins, Randell, D Adkins, Russell, Griffin, Edwards, J Marsh, Moles, Cameron, Price.

Portland’s second string have a bye weekend and return to action on Saturday, August 13 away to Puddletown Seconds.

Weymouth, meanwhile, are facing mid-table obscurity after last weekend’s 117-run loss to Division Two leaders Beaminster.

The Seasiders, this weekend skippered by vice-captain Lloyd Beals, visit eighth-placed Sturminster & Hinton tomorrow (1.30pm).

With Weymouth 67 points shy of the promotion places and 84 clear of the drop zone, Beals has demanded a focus on the basics as they look to respond to the Beaminster defeat.

He said: “We shouldn’t have to keep asking players for a reaction but we seem to be asking every other week.

“The fundamentals of batting and bowling seem lost with individuals at times, trying to bowl as fast as they can erratically or it’s either a boundary or a block.

“I want my bowlers to make it hard to score runs and bowl to fields, while my batters accomplish better rotation of strike and move the field around.

“I think Sturminster will be proud of their achievements, they look pretty safe to me and look handy at home.

“So, it all depends which Weymouth side turns up. I hope I can get the best out of those that are available.”

Mitchell and Rob Townley are unavailable but Adam Hoyes and Jackson Jose return.

Weymouth: England, Beals, Somaratne, Sapsworth, Nott, Guyett, Urumancheri, Taylor, Hoyes, P Sapsworth, Jose.

Division Six pacesetters Weymouth Seconds have a bye weekend but return to action away to Bournemouth Fifths on Saturday, August 13.