Sport

New Blackmore Vale, August 20, 2021 Sport Sherborne aim to finish in top three

Dorset Premier Cricket League, August 13

Christchurch 213 Sherborne 265-5 Sherborne (20pts) bt Christchurch (7pts) by 52 runs

The top four teams in the league all won last weekend, including Sherborne’s convincing win over bottom side Christchurch. Opener Marc Roca (92) top scored for Sherborne but the first four batsmen all contributed, with the score at one stage 239-2. Luke Hancock was 59 not out as Sherborne posted 2655 off 45 overs. In response, Christchurch were quickly in trouble at 83-5. Tom Hughes contributed 59 but the home team ran out of wickets and subsided with five overs remaining. Pick of the bowlers were Roger Parfitt (4-40) and Andy Nurton (332). The result leaves Sherborne in fourth, 22 points behind Martinstown in third with a game in hand and two weekends to go. Sherborne play Poole tomorrow, who are second and favourites to take the title.

Division One Puddletown 184

Marnhull 185-4

Marnhull (20pts) bt Puddletown (7pts) by six wickets

Marnhull struck a blow to Puddletown’s title hopes with a third win in a row. Puddletown, having lost just one game in 14, have now lost two in a row and saw their lead at the top cut to 32 points with two to play – and having to face second-placed Swanage tomorrow. The victory sees Marnhull climb to sixth. In other games in the division, Stalbridge beat bottom club Beaminster by eight wickets to climb to third place in the table while Sherborne-based Compton House stay second to bottom after defeat at Swanage.

TEAM SPIRIT: Blandford’s Max Leigh, Wilf Leigh and Stephen Quine Blandford back in the swim

Blandford Flyers Swimming Club has returned to the pool for competitive swimming. Unfortunately no audiences were allowed into Millfield swim centre to watch three swimmers compete against 56 other clubs from across the region, but that did not hinder them from putting in impressive performances and achieve a host of new personal best times. In addition to their individual race achievements, all gained Top Three rankings in their respective age groups (Stephen Quine third in the u16 category, Max Leigh first u15, Wilf Leigh second u12), with Max also coming third overall across all age groups, crowning off a great weekend of swimming. More events are planned and hopefully audiences will soon be able to see the swimmers in action. If your child(ren) want to be involved, please visit blandfordflyers.co.uk –we’re a friendly club that welcomes all standards of youth swimmer from Learn-to-Swim Level 7 upwards.

Jon Creffield

Division Two Blandford

103 Parley 2nds 32 Blandford (17pts) bt Parley (5pts) by 71 runs Not one Parley batsman made double figures as Blandford thrashed their rivals to stay top of the league and in line for promotion. Ryan Boardwell took 4-6 and Robert Harding 4-12 as Parley were scuttled in just 18 overs: Ryan White took the other two wickets for 10 runs. It was an emphatic response after Blandford themselves struggled for runs, subsiding to 103 all out in 30 overs. Ron Wates top scored with 24. Blandford are 11 points clear of Poole Town 2nds at the top with two games to go. Blandford travel to thirdplaced Wimborne 2nds tomorrow, while Poole play Shillingstone, who are in fourth place. Shillingstone lost to Wimborne last weekend, falling just 10 runs short of their target after Hugo Hartley took 5-42 to put Wimborne under pressure.

New Blackmore Vale, August 20, 2021 Sport Shaftesbury’s season off to a flyer

Wessex League Premier August 14

Hamble Club Shaftesbury 1 1

Shaftesbury dropped their first points of the season but remained top of the league after a draw away to Hamble. The home side took the lead on 42 mins with a tap-in from Barry Mason but Shaftesbury replied straight after the break when Jordan Foot headed home from a corner. From there, Town were the better team but both keepers made good saves. Shaftesbury have hit the ground running this season, winning 2-0 in their first league game, away to Portland, then thrashing Amesbury 9-2 at home with goals from Asa Phillip (3), Luke Delaney (2), Beard (2), Mickey Finch and Gary Bowles. “One of the most comprehensive performances witnessed in recent times at SFC,” said the club’s social media. Amesbury were also beaten 4-1 in an FA Cup qualifying round. with a hattrick from Cameron Beard. Manager Ollie Cherett said: “It is a completely new team and it will take time to gel. There is still plenty to work on.”

Town’s new 3G pitch is ‘accessible for all’

Shaftesbury manager Ollie Cherrett has welcomed the new 3G pitch and praised chairman Steve Coffen for taking the club forward. The pitch was officially opened by local film director and brewer Guy Ritchie, with more than 100 children trying out the allweather surface. “I take my hat off to Steve, the drive he’s had for the town,” said Cherett. “It’s all come together and Steve has to take full credit for that.” The two are pals: it was Coffen who persuaded Cherrett and his backroom staff to move to Shaftesbury en masse from Christchurch FC in the summer. The promise of a new surface was one of the attractions, said the new boss. “It is massive for any club. We have some of the best facilities in this league and above. We had 120-130 kids out there on the pitch in Shaftesbury FC kit, and it was a very special night for the club. I am getting that passion for the town,” he told the Wessex League Football podcast. The pitch structure means it can be used continuously. Besides being used by the club’s teams, the pitch will host 150 youngsters weekly and is available for anyone to hire. The income will cover maintenance, while the repayment of the £500,000 loan – which is underwritten by the town council – is planned to be recouped from a permit holders car park at the club. Cllr Piers Brown said youngsters no longer need to travel out of town by car for training, instead being “within walking distance for the majority of users making it accessible for all.”

PITCH PERFECT: Kids try the new pitch, opened by Guy Ritchie, seen with a pint of Gritchie ale in the clubhouse

FOOTBALL FIXTURES

August 21 FA Cup Qualifying Shaftesbury v Stoneham

Toolstation Western League Div 1 Sherborne v Lebeq Utd Wincanton v Devizes Town Welton Rovers v Gillingham 74

Dorset Premier League Sturminster Newton v Poole Swanage v Blandford Utd

August 24 Dorset Premier League Corfe Castle v Blandford Shaftesbury Reserves v Sturminster Newton August 28 Western League Div 1 Sherborne v Tytherington Cheddar v Wincanton Gillingham v Radstock

Wessex League Premier Shaftesbury v Stoneham Dorset Premier League Merley Cobham Sports v Blandford Sturminster Newton v Hamworthy Utd Reserves

August 30 Western League Div 1 Radstock v Sherborne Devizes v Gillingham

Gills still in search of first win of the season Three wins out of three as Sherborne rattle in 17 goals

Toolstation Western League Div 1, August 14

Tythrington Rocks 5 Gillingham 1

Gillingham were left rooted to the bottom of the division after a 5-1 thumping away to Tytherington Rocks. The Gills had hoped for better against a Gloucestershire team that had lost its three previous games. But it was another game that The Gills led but let slip, scoring after only four minutes only to concede a penalty. It was 3-1 to the home side at half-time, the scoring completed in the 94th minute with a worldly from Jack Sheppard-Cozens. The Gills played better than the scoreline suggests but need a break. In their previous two matches they let a two-goal lead slip, being held to a 2-2 draw against Lebeq United, both goals coming from Iwan Walters. It was Gillingham’s only point so far, having lost 3-2 the previous game away to Cheddar, James Boyland scoring twice for The Gills.

WINNER: MotM Ashley Guppy receives his reward from Sherborne chairman John Bowers Toolstation Western League Div 1, August 14

Sherborne Wells 5 1

Sherborne made it three wins out of three for the season, scoring an impressive 17 goals in the process. The result leaves Town fourth in the table, having played two games less than the teams above. Wells are a decent football side and played better than the score suggests but Sherborne were clinical. Alex Murphy and Declan Cornish both scored twice, with Ashley Guppy adding the fifth before half-time, his well taken effort earning him Man of the Match. The result, before a bouyant crowd of 120, came on the back of two 6-1 victories for Sherborne in what has been an explosive start to their season. “Very disappointed to only score five, I thought we only scored six in games,” said fan John Hallett on Facebook. Murphy has scored five in the three games to date but the other goals have been shared around the squad. Chairman John Bowers spoke on last week’s Toolstation Western League podcast about their good start. “I’m not getting too

excited – it’s very, very early days,” he said. “We have a depth of squad, cover in all positions and a couple of younger lads. “Since I’ve been chairman, I’ve not seen us look so aggressive in going forward. “We are hopeful we can carry on, not only in winning ways but by being entertaining. “We want to be a footballing side. “Success? Finishing in the top quarter? We want to be a competitive side and have a cup run in the Vase. “Let’s have a push in getting into the Top Three – that’s as far as I’ll go today.” Covid compounds Wincanton’s slow start to season

Wincanton have been forced to postpone three matches after a serious outbreak of coronavirus in the squad. Home games against local rivals Sherborne and Gillingham in the Western League were called off, as well as Portishead away. The news came on the back of a slow start to the season, with Town picking up just one point from their first three games, Irwin and Wise scoring in a creditable 2-2 draw at home to unbeaten Warminster. Manager Chris Wise said: “It has not been the start of the season any of us would have liked. The results from the first three games have been disappointing but are insignificant when compared to people’s health and wellbeing. “We have had several positive cases now confirmed within both the playing squad and nonplaying matchday staff and have a number of other players having to isolate.” Wincanton are due to restart their season at home to Devizes tomorrow.

New Blackmore Vale, August 20, 2021 Sport Blandford boss quits before first game win

Dorset Premier Football League, August 14

Balti Sports 2 Blandford 3

In the first league game of the season, Blandford conceded early but a stunning long-range strike into the corner from Bradley Pike levelled the scores on 18 mins. Sam Watson put the visitors ahead at half-time and Man of the Match Archie Mccarthy widened the gap on 70 mins before Balti scored with a last-minute penalty. The score was welcomed on Twitter by former Blandford manager Andy Savage, who joined in the summer but left the club before the Balti game. The club say he stepped down due to extra work commitments. The new Blandford manager is Josh Feirn, who was in temporary charge of the team for the end of last season.

Port Regis sports club shuts its doors to adult members

The Motcombe Park sports club at Port Regis school has abruptly shut to adult members. The club had made a number of sports available outside school core hours including golf, swimming, squash and tennis in 160 acres of parkland belonging to the school. Many facilities closed to members due to covid, including the pool although the golf stayed open. But a letter sent to members on August 6 from the Governors of Port Regis and the directors of Motcombe Park said they had closed the club and golf course to adult members “with immediate effect”. James Hussey, chair of the school governors, said: “For a number of years the school has been looking to find more opportunities for local schools, children’s sports clubs and other local children to use the facility in line with the school’s charitable objectives. “With the enforced close of the club due to covid, it seems the right time to make this transition with minimal impact on our members, many of whom will have found alternatives.” The club closure is a significant blow to many. Tony Phipps said: “Personally it’s a loss of two international standard squash courts which I used precovid for more than 10 years, running a squash team playing matches throughout Dorset. “I now drive 30 miles three times a week to play. Squash courts have been closing for years as venues can make more money from spinning and other activities. Port Regis would not have suffered this and were more likely to remain – no more it seems.”

LES BOULES D’OR: (R-L) Graham, Mike, Matt and Dave Four rounds of golf in a day

Four friends play a round of 18 holes together at Wincanton Golf Club on Sunday mornings. But one day, Dave, Graham, Matt and Mike played four rounds, walking the equivalent of a marathon in a day. They started at 5.30am and finished 14 hours later in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. “This is a cause that should be close to every man’s heart,” said team captain Dave. “Prostate cancer goes untalked about and we are pleased to try to help raise awareness and cash for a great cause.” Mike said: “Men are generally not good at discussing things medical but we spent 14 hours together focusing on a fantastic cause. Next time is for my knees to be repaired.” You can donate at justgiving.com/ team/LesBoulesdOr1 – the team has raised more than £2,000.

WINCANTON RESULTS

Club championship July 24/25 Best Overall Nett score: Nigel Orr 140 Club Championship Winner with lowest gross: John Atkins 147

Seniors Monthly Medal 1 Malcolm Faulkner 62 2 Derek Street 63 3 Pete Starkey 67

Pairs Texas Scramble July 31