Gosport boss Gale criticises ‘unacceptable’ display in dismal FA Trophy exit at Dorchester

Tempers rise during Gosport's FA Trophy elimination at Dorchester Town. Picture by Tom Phillips.

Manager Shaun Gale admitted his disappointment with the performance.

'We were poor and it is probably the worst we have been,' he said.

'Dorchester had more energy and desire than us and we just didn't get going.

Matt Paterson disagrees with an official's decision during Gosport's FA Trophy loss at Dorchester. Picture by Tom Phillips.

'At no time did we get the ball down and play.

'We went too direct and we don't have the players to do that.

'It was unacceptable.

'I need to get more senior players in because we didn't have enough of them out on the pitch.

'The youngsters are great but they need experience around them.

'We've only had Mike Carter for 45 minutes whilst Theo Lewis, Bradley Tarbuck, Jordan Rose, Matt Paterson and Rory Williams are all carrying injuries.

'In the end it takes its toll.'

Borough had an early opportunity but Christian Oxlade-Chamberlan put his half-volley wide of the post.

Oxlade-Chamberlain had another decent chance on 20 minutes but fired his shot straight at the goalkeeper.

Dorchester - struggling near the bottom of the Southern Premier League South table - made the breakthrough a minute before the break.

A cross from Tiago Sa caused confusion in the Borough defence and ended up in the net.

Borough made an instant reply with a close-range equaliser from Dan Wooden.

The home side grabbed their winning goal on 65 minutes, Olaf Koszela slotting the ball past Pat O’Flaharty.

'We find ourselves in a bit of a rut at the moment,' said Gale.

‘If we keep working hard then we will start turning our decent performances into winning football matches.

'It is important that we all stay on the same page.

'Our project may mean taking a bit of pain and we must be patient with it.'

Gosport return to Southern League action on Tuesday at lofty Salisbury.

Steve Claridge’s men have won their last three league games and at the weekend blitzed fellow Premier South high-fliers Tiverton 6-0 in the FA Trophy at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium.

Ex-Gosport players Charlie Kennedy (2) and Warren Bentley were among the goals for a Whites side who had trounced Dorchester 6-1 away in the league a week earlier.

Gosport Borough: O'Flaherty, Williams, Casey, Woodford, Kavanagh, Oxlade-Chamberlain, McCreadie, Roundell (Suraci 75), Tarbuck (Raguette 43), Lewis (Paterson 46), Wooden.