THE ball in groundshare talks between Dorchester Town and Hamworthy United rests firmly in the Hammers’ court, Magpies’ chairman Scott Symes has revealed.

Hamworthy in late April disclosed an agreement with Dorchester to play their Southern League Division One play-off at the Avenue Stadium.

Dan Cann’s Hammers beat Evesham 3-0, setting up an eventual 2-0 play-off final loss to Sholing.

But the future destination of their home fixtures for 2023/24 remains up in the air, Symes confessing no further talks had taken place between the clubs.

READ MORE: Dorchester Town and Hamworthy United in groundshare talks

Hamworthy, who have no main stand at the County Ground, raised the possibility of sharing the Avenue with Dorchester until their own headquarters satisfy ground-grading rules.

Asked if talks had progressed since April, Symes told Echosport: “Nothing since the first conversation about: ‘Would it be feasible?’

“At which point we said: ‘We haven’t got any facts about what needs to be feasible’.

“So, the conversation’s finished until they come round and say: ‘Our ground won’t be ready, what can we do?’”

Symes stressed that Dorchester currently hold an agreement with Jewson Dorset Premier League side Dorchester Sports.

However, he admitted Dorchester remain open to talks with the Hammers and extended the invitation to any club in need of a similar temporary solution.

He added: “They asked the question about next season. They’re a local club, we get on well with Hamworthy and if we can help in any way, we would.

“But there’s no firm, hard dates. We have a signed groundshare agreement with Dorchester Sports and we’ll honour that.

“We’ll do what we can to help a local club, if we can, in conversation with Dorchester Sports, ourselves and Hamworthy if they needed a ground to play some games on.

“We’d do what we could, we’d do that for anyone.”