DORCHESTER hope to see action for the first time this year when they visit Poole Town in a friendly fixture this afternoon (1.30pm).

The county town side, reigning Dorset Premier League champions, saw a recent friendly with Street called off and have just seven days until they begin the defence of their title.

Dorchester will be without several key players for tomorrow’s trip but skipper Martyn Richards sees it as an opportunity to give the club’s younger members some much-needed experience.

Rob Waite and Shannon Dunnett, two of the leading lights in last year’s campaign, will not be back in Dorset until June, Dan Belt, Phil Morley and Steve Gerety are all unavailable while new signing Xenon Ellin must wait to receive his visa before coming over from Australia.

However, youngsters Joe Power, James Dunham, Nick Roe and Lewis Stripp are all set to step in.

Dorchester (from): Richards, Haynes, Tweddle, Sibley, Power, Dunham, Roe, Stripp, Price, Mitchem, Miller, Edney, Cole.

n Weymouth conclude their pre-season friendlies with a trip to North Perrott tomorrow (2pm).

It will be a mainly second string that will be on duty in Somerset although first team skipper David Trotter insists places are still up for grabs ahead of his side’s Dorset Premier Division curtain-raiser at Poole next weekend.

Meanwhile Weymouth’s planned friendly clash with Blandford at Redlands today has been called off as the North Dorset outfit are unable to raise a team.

Weymouth: Jarvis, H Lawes, McKay, Crocker, Tozer, Bloxham, Budd, Ryan, Puckett, Doidge, M Pearce