Shaun Brooks

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Dorchester 2 - 1 Hayes and Yeading United

Dorchester 4 - 5 Newport County

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Brooks steps up defender search

by Ky Capel

Following Saturday's 2-1 home defeat to Hayes & Yeading United, Dorchester Town man-ager Shaun Brooks insists he will look elsewhere for defenders if his cannot do the job.

The Magpies are still without a win at the Jewson Stadium this season after goals from Will Hendry and Tom Cadmore did the damage for United.

Jamie Mudge's fourth goal of the campaign reduced the deficit but it was not enough.

And Brooks was left to curse defensive frailties within his ranks for the second time in five days.

He said: "We started the game off okay but we just can't defend. We defended poorly for the first goal and then their player gets away from his marker for the second.

"And, playing a side who is on a high, it gives you a mountain to climb. Again it's an inability to defend and keep clean sheets. We only kept the scoreline down due to good fortune rather than good defending.

"We need defenders in who can do the job and defend correctly, until we do we're going to lose games.

"It's up to the current players to show some mettle and take care of their individual performances. Too many of them are performing at a five or six rather than a seven or eight.

"I thought there was very little between the two teams before their goals. But once they did score, in the space of five minutes, it gave us a real mountain to climb."

One centre-half whose time at the club has come to an end is Michael Walker, bringing a halt to this third spell with the Magpies.

Brooks added: "He's been playing for nothing since he's been back and we've not been in a position to offer him a contract so I think he'll be looking elsewhere.

"We do need a change in personnel and we are still looking."

Brooks and his staff switched dugouts for the game. But the Magpies' chief revealed the decision had nothing to do with luck.

He said: "We like to kick away from the Tesco's end in the second half and I wanted to have the back four closer to me so that's why we changed dugouts. Having said that I'd like to think our players would be all right whatever dugout I was in."

* Dorchester take on a Southampton XI tomorrow night in a friendly match at the Jewson Stadium (7.30pm).

The fixture will act as a benefit match for Bill Puckett - the pre-season trialist who suffered a serious knee injury in the 1-0 friendly defeat at Portland United in July.

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