DORCHESTER Town boss Callum Brooks has described the Magpies’ BetVictor Southern Premier South battle with Yate Town as “huge” for the club.

Brooks’ men host the Bluebells at the Clayson Stadium tomorrow (3pm) looking for a first win in six league games since the 3-1 victory at Hendon in mid-September.

Dorchester’s tough opening run of fixtures has seen the Magpies play seven of the top 10, with just three points taken from those encounters.

However, promoted side Yate present a different proposition with the Gloucestershire outfit occupying 16th – four places and four points ahead of the Magpies.

Yate picked up an impressive result in midweek, beating leaders Tiverton 2-0 away for their third successive win, while Dorchester drew 0-0 with Merthyr Town.

Speaking to Echosport, Brooks said: “It would be big if we played a side at the top, it’s huge if you play a side in and around yourselves. Yate have had (three) wins on the bounce as well, so it’s one we’ll prepare right for. We’re not high-fiving each other after (Merthyr).

“A step in the right direction means very little unless we build on that. That’s what we’ve got to do and I’m confident the character the boys showed under difficult circumstances will stand us in good stead.

“I’m adamant there’s a good group there and these difficulties, regardless of what people say, you always come out the other side.”

Brooks has targeted the next 10 games to bring in the Magpies into a “much better position”.

He said: “If I’m being completely honest we’ve got 10 games which lead us up to the halfway point of the season.

“Our aim is to be in a much better position come the end of these 10 games.

“What I’d like to be saying after these 10 games, is ‘there’s the table, we’re halfway through, we’ve come through these difficulties and we’re going to use them to make us stronger.’”

Midfielder Charlie Davis is in contention to feature after a minor hamstring strain, but right-back Kyle Egan (knee) is at least two weeks away from a return.

Elsewhere, Dorchester have announced the appointment of Steve Devlin as assistant first-team coach.

Experienced midfielder Devlin, a veteran at rivals Poole Town, counts the Magpies among his former clubs and has made 316 appearances for the Dolphins, scoring 95 times.