DPL Dispatch : simplebooklet.com

ISSUE - 28 1 Welcome ………… To the 28th and season ending edition of the Dispatch, this edition covers our League & Cup winners over the past few weeks. I must start off with a moment of reflection due to the sad passing of Blandford United FC’s Long-standing Secretary and DPL League Management Committee member Frank Webber had sadly passed away recently, he will be sorely missed by many. This season has gone very well weather wise with the League running an additional Supplementary Cup Competition, due to wanting to give fixtures to Clubs in April /May as we were very lucky in the lack of Postponed games throughout the season. CONGRATULATIONS to BOURNEMOUTH SPORTS FC who are DORSET PREMIER FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS for season 2024 / 2025. A deserved well, done to All connected at Bournemouth Sports FC especially to Manager Danny Blakeley and his Team. CONGRATULATIONS also go to HAMWORTHY RECREATION FC Reserves who are our LEAGUE CUP WINNERS for season 2024 / 2025. A deserved well, done to All connected after their 3-1 win against Dorchester Sports FC at Wimborne Town FC. CONGRATULATIONS also go to COBHAM SPORTS FC who are supplementary CUP WINNERS for season 2024 / 2025. A deserved Well, done to All connected after their 4-2-win AET against Bournemouth Electric FC at Electric, with Ameche Eze-Sunday scoring a hat trick. Finally, CONGRATULATIONS also again go to COBHAM SPORTS FC who have won the Dorset Senior Trophy in a well contested final at the County Ground against BLANDFORD UNITED FC winning 3-0 and so securing a unique Cup Double this season SAM DARLOW from BOURNEMOUTH SPORTS FC finished the season as leading [League] goal scorer with 29 Goals and will pick up the “Golden Boot” award at this year’s AGM in June. JACOB DEAKIN from COBHAM SPORTS FC finished the season with the most League clean sheets with 14 and will pick up the “Golden Glove” award at this years AGM in June. Alongside the 2 awards listed above, The secretary of the year award, the Photograph of the year award and the League’s Fair Play award will also be announced and presented at the Leagues AGM in June. The 5 finalists for the Photograph of the year are displayed further in this edition. Talking of the AGM, please take this as advance notice.

Page 3

ISSUE - 28 2 As for 2025/26, we are still awaiting official confirmation that both, GILLINGHAM TOWN FC & VERWOOD TOWN FC will be joining us following their Relegation from Step 6. [These decisions are still subject to appeal by the Clubs] In regard to who is being promoted from the Dorset Premier Football League, DORCHESTER SPORTS FC withdrew their application meaning that BLANDFORD UNITED FC & HOLT UNITED FC were both waiting for the Allocations to be published to see if they had been successful, these have now been published with both sides not attaining promotion so will remain with the DPL for next season. [These decisions are still subject to appeal by the Clubs] Finally, we had 3 Clubs expressing their intent to join the Dorset Premier Football League from the Dorset Senior League in line with League rules, come the date for official applications, we only received 1 from BOURNEMOUTH FC Development, who would need to change their name to Bournemouth FC Reserves to join the Dorset Premier Football League as development sides are not permitted to join, however the League can have no more than 6 Reserve teams in a division of no more than 18 sides as stated in the Leagues Constitution, [subject to appeal] - We will be at 18 Clubs next season and with the current 6 Reserve Teams. If after ratification by the FA that is the case, then there will be relegation at the end of next season 2025 / 2026. It is interesting to note that the equivalent Step 7 Feeder League the Hampshire Premier League does not accept Reserve Teams into its Competition, bar the 1 side who were in membership before the Rule Change was implemented, it is the Dorset Premier Football League’s intention to reduce the number of permitted Reserve sides to 5 as soon as possible by either Relegation or Withdrawal.

Page 4

ISSUE - 28 3 Lastly, As the season draws to its end, I need to thank ALL contributors to the Dispatch both with the written reports but also the Photographs submitted, they are all very much appreciated. If anyone out there knows of someone who would be wanting to help the League produce the Dispatch next season, please get them to contact me directly in the 1st instance. dpl.generalsecretary@gmail.com Thank you also to Mike Pomeroy for his valuable assistance in sorting out the League’s website containing the weekly Dispatch. Enjoy your Summer and we will do it all over again in August. Kind regards. Giles Kilshawe-Fall

Page 5

Page 6

Page 7

ISSUE - 28 6 DPL LEAGUE CUP FINAL - 2024 / 2025 DORCHESTER SPORTS FC (0) 1 HAMWORTHY RECREATION FC Reserves (1) 3 Hamworthy Recreation FC Reserves defeated Dorchester Sports FC 3-1 to be crowned the Dorset Premier League Cup winners at a sun-drenched Wimborne Town FC. Dorchester had started the game well after carving out two early chances in the opening exchanges, however, it was Hamworthy who drew first blood. Sports gifted their opponents the opener after some sloppy passing allowed Ash Boyt to win the ball, before finding ELLIOT BIRTWISTLE who lifted his shot over Nick Hutchings in the Sports' goal. Hutchings kept the score at 1-0 as the game approached half time making a brilliant point blank save before Alex Godfrey spurned the chance for an equaliser as Dorchester looked to get back on level terms. However, the Sports captain and leading goal scorer was unfortunate to not find the net soon after as he lifted his shot over Henry Birtwistle in the Rec goal and watched his strike hit the post. HT 0-1 In the second half Sport’s Godfrey was again sent through on goal but saw another effort well saved by Henry Birtwistle before Joel Hewitt blazed over from eight yards out when through one-on-one with the Rec keeper. Hamworthy then found their second of the game in the 73rd minute after a corner bounced around the box before eventually striking a Dorchester player at the back post last for an OG to make it 2-0. With five minutes of the game remaining there was a glimmer of hope for a comeback for Dorchester though after DYLAN ELLIS found the net to set up a nervy ending for Hamworthy. However, the experienced MAX WILCOCK took advantage of a long ball over the top of the Dorchester defence before colliding with Hutchings in the Sports goal resulting in bundling the ball over the line to seal the victory for his side. Report courtesy of the

Page 8

Page 9

Page 10

ISSUE - 28 9 DPL SUPPLEMENTARY CUP FINAL - 2024 / 2025 HT FT AET BOURNEMOUTH ELECTRIC FC (1) (2) 2 COBHAM SPORTS FC (1) (2) 4 It was the Dorset Premier League’s Supplementary Cup final day at Bournemouth Electric’s Broadway Lane ground on Saturday where Electric played host to Cobham Sports and it took extra time to determine who would take home the trophy. Both teams had the really bumpy and windy conditions to contend with and the game started evenly, Ellis George had the first shot on target in the 4th minute but Max Frampton saved comfortably. Kareem Soliman and Jackson Kavita were the biggest threats for Electric, add to this the outstanding Faustino Maher in midfield, when brought into play they kept Cobham honest at the back. Cobham came close in the 24th minute, Joe Wood clipping the outside of the near post and then four minutes later Soliman had a shot saved by Jacob Deakin. Cobham struggled to get any rhythm to their game but it wasn’t for the lack of trying and they took the lead with a super move in the 36th minute, George found Eze-Sunday with a precision diagonal low ball, Eze-Sunday took on his man and won the battle by cutting back on to his right foot and his superb cross was met by JOE WOOD at the far post and he headed home, wrong footing Frampton to give Cobham the lead. Back came Electric and Kavita shot just wide in the 43rd minute and just a minute later Kyle St Clement found space on the edge of the box and his shot clipped the far post. Electric got an equaliser right on half time, Harvey Elsom was adjudged to have fouled Soliman, it was clearly six of one, half a dozen of the other with Soliman backing into Elsom but the referee awarded a penalty and up stepped skipper JAKE HARVEY to send his kick into the roof of the net sending Deakin the wrong way. HT 1-1 Electric started the better of the sides from the restart and applied some early pressure on Cobham and forced them to play more long ball, this nearly paid off when Eze-Sunday countered in the 57th minute and his shot from 30 yards flashed past the far post. Back cam Electric, Alastair Williams heading just wide from a corner in the 58th minute. Electric deservedly hit the front in the 72nd minute, Kavita was too clever for the

Page 11

ISSUE - 28 10 Cobham rearguard down the left beating two defenders and crossing MATT CHALARAMBOUS to clip a shot home from 8 yards to make it 2-1 to Electric. This goal appeared to wake Cobham up and they started getting on top by playing some neat football and time was running out but they received a lifeline in the 88th minute, Josh Buck was fouled some 25 yards out, up stepped AMECHI EZE-SUNDAY to clip a beautiful free kick into the top left hand corner of the net giving Frampton no chance and to send the game into extra time. FT 2-2 Cobham had regained the momentum at the end of normal time and they began extra time in the ascendency and in the 99th minute they won another free kick 25 yards out, this time for hand ball, AMECHI EZE-SUNDAY was on kicking duty again and he sent another beauty of a free kick, this time across Frampton into the top right hand corner of the net to put Cobham 3-2 up. Game management was the order of the day for Cobham and they remained on top for the majority of the extra time period and AMECHI EZE-SUNDAY put the game beyond Electric in the 109th minute, he was put down the line and took the ball to the corner, Sunday Diekola was in close attendance but Eze-Sunday cleverly flicked the ball back through his legs, beat another man along the byline and then shot past Frampton at the near post to sew the game up for Cobham at 4-2. Buck had a chance to make it five in the 115th minute but Frampton saved superbly tipping the shot round the post for a corner. Cobham comfortably saw out the remaining five minutes to see them take home the trophy. AET 2-4 It was a really even affair with Electric dominating the early part of the second half, but Cobham did respond well after going 2-1 down, for Electric I thought that Faustino Maher was outstanding in the engine room for them, but my man of the match would have to go to Eze-Sunday for his outstanding hat trick, it was worthy of winning any cup. Report courtesy of Ian Gilmartin

Page 12

Page 13

Page 14

ISSUE - 28 13 DORSET SENIOR TROPHY FINAL - 2024 / 2025 BLANDFORD UNITED FC (0) 0 COBHAM SPORTS FC (2) 3 The Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Senior Trophy brought the curtain down on the 2024/25 season for Blandford Utd and Cobham Sports on Tuesday evening at The County Ground, Hamworthy in front of 425 spectators. Cobham got off to a flier when a long ball from Harvey Elsom caught Blandford high and square and AMECHI EZE-SUNDAY was just too quick for the backline and the advancing Harry Foden in the Blandford goal and calmly slotted the ball into the net with just 33 seconds on the clock to give Cobham a dream start. They nearly made it two in the second minute, Foden saving well from Marco Fowler as Blandford were unable to settle.

Page 15

ISSUE - 28 14 Blandford put a really good counterattack together in the 8th minute with Elliot Manson heading just over the bar after good work down the left by Louis Whetton. Cobham were controlling the game with Josh Toop so influential in the heart of their midfield and they went two up on 17 minutes, good work from Toop and Joe Wood saw the ball reach Fowler, who in turn found MIKE TRIM and he made no mistake planting the ball past the hapless Foden into the net. Cobham were making it hard for the Royals to settle and they came so close to making it three in the 23rd minute but some fantastic defensive work from Ben Knight prevented Josh Buck getting on the end of a crisp cross from Fowler. Fowler had another effort pushed round the post by Foden in the 26th minute as Cobham searched for a killer third goal but Blandford put a good spell together leading up to half time and Sam Lanahan went oh so close in the 42nd minute with a stinging drive from 25 yards that just cleared the bar, and the score remained at 2-0 to Cobham at the break. HT 0-2 Blandford immediately went on the front foot at the start of the second half forcing an early corner, but Cobham dealt with it comfortably, Blandford’s press was more intense, and Cobham dropped deeper allowing the Royals to play and they went to the bench early bringing on Dan Naish and Charlie Shears for the industrious Wood and Trim. Cobham reorganised quickly and Fowler brought another save out of Foden with a stinging drive on 56 minutes. Blandford were capitalising on Cobham’s failure to keep hold of the ball as the second half progressed, they were pushing Cobham deeper and were stringing passes together, but Cobham were becoming dangerous on the counter and Foden had to be alert to save well from the dangerous Josh Toop in the 69th minute. Blandford were in the ascendency but were being thwarted by resilient defensive work from the entire Cobham backline, any shots on goal were being blocked and any that got through on goal were dealt with by Jacob Deakin. Elliot Manson came closest to scoring for Blandford, but he shot too high after a smart turn in the box in the 83rd minute. Blandford were reduced to 10 men in the 84th minute, Charlie John’s poor first touch when been challenged by Charlie Shears saw his second attempted touch bring Shears down and being the last man he saw red, this saw Cobham regain some forward impetus and they put the game to bed in the 85th minute, Dan Naish’s defence splitting

Page 16

ISSUE - 28 15 pass found the nippy CHARLIE SHEARS breaching the square backline and his one on one with Foden saw him grab their vital third goal. Cobham grabbed the initiative in the remaining 10 minutes, Naish, Toop and Shears all going close and Callum Perry was unlucky to see his drive canon off the inside of the far post in the 90+2nd minute as they saw out the remaining 3 minutes and claim second trophy in 10 days. A competent performance from Cobham although they were put under a lot of pressure in the second half from the Royals but, they didn’t really test Deakin in the Cobham goal who claimed his 18th clean sheet of the season and you had to credit a collective, solid, defensive display. Elsom and George were strong in the heart of the defence, Perry was solid at right back and Alex Borges was outstanding, especially in the defensive areas in the second half but my man of the match went to seventeen-year-old Josh Toop in the heart of Cobham’s midfield, he was unplayable at times and his defensive work had to, and was, admired by all. Report courtesy of Ian Gilmartin Photos courtesy of Simon Carlton – carltonphotography@live.com Cobham Sports FC Captain, Ellis George receiving the Dorset Senior Trophy

Page 17

Page 18

ISSUE - 28 17 LEAGUE CUP 2024 – 2025 1st Round 11 Sep Dorchester Sports FC 5 - 1 Balti Sports FC 11 Sep Hamworthy Rec FC Res 3 - 1 Bournemouth Electric FC 11 Sep Wimborne Town FC Res 1 - 0 Cobham Sports FC 14 Sep Holt Utd FC 4 - 1 Bridport FC Res 14 Sep Poole Borough FC 2 – 3 AET Hamworthy Utd FC Res 2 – 2 @ FT 14 Sep Portland Utd FC Res 5 – 4 on Pens Bournemouth Sports FC 3 – 3 @ FT 4 – 4 AET 14 Sep Swanage T&H FC 4 - 1 Sherborne Town FC Res 14 Sep Westland Sports FC 1 - 2 Blandford United FC Quarter Finals 5 Nov Hamworthy Utd FC Res 3 - 4 Swanage T&H FC 6 Nov Portland Utd FC Res 2 - 0 Blandford United FC 13 Nov Dorchester Sports FC 4 – 2 AET Wimborne Town FC Res 2 – 2 @ FT 20 Nov Hamworthy Rec FC Res 2 - 1 Holt Utd FC Semi Finals 15 Mar Hamworthy Rec FC Res 3 - 0 Portland Utd FC Res Swanage T&H FC 0 - 1 Dorchester Sports FC Final Dorchester Sports FC 1 - 3 Hamworthy Rec FC Res 3rd of May – WIMBORNETOWN FC – Ko 2.00pm – ET & Pens if Required

Page 19

ISSUE - 28 18 COUNTY CUPS 2024 – 2025 D.C.F.A - SENIOR TROPHY - Round 1 Sponsored by Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance 5th October 14:00 Puddletown FC 2 v 1 Westland Sports FC Res 19th October 14:00 Portland United FC Reserves 3 v 1 Bournemouth Sports FC Res Round 2 19th October 14:00 Wimborne Town FC Reserves 2 v 4 Holt United FC 2nd November 14:00 Cranborne FC 2 V 0 Sherborne Town FC Res Lyme Regis FC 0 V 3 Hamworthy Recreation FC Res Maiden Newton & Cattistock FC 2 V 1 Dorchester Sports FC Balti Sports FC 1 V 3 Bridport FC Reserves Allendale FC 0 V 9 Puddletown FC Poole Borough FC 0 V 4 Cobham Sports FC Portland United FC Reserves 1 V 7 Blandford United FC Quarter Finals 7th December 13:30 Cranborne FC 1 V 8 Blandford United FC Puddletown FC 0 V 1 Maiden Newton & Cattistock FC 14th December 13:30 Hamworthy Recreation FC Res 3 V 1 Holt United FC 21st December 13:30 Bridport FC Reserves 0 V 2 Cobham Sports FC Semi - Finals 1st March 14:30 Maiden Newton & Cattistock FC 0 V 2 Blandford United FC Cobham Sports FC 3 V 0 Hamworthy Recreation FC Res Final 20th May 19:30 Blandford United FC 0 V 3 Cobham Sports FC @ The County Ground – Hamworthy United FC

DPL Dispatch

Page 1

Page 2