DORCHESTER Town boss Callum Brooks is looking to capitalise on the “good platform” built by the Magpies ahead of their Dorset derby with Wimborne Town at Cuthbury tonight (7.45pm).

Brooks’ troops go into their third BetVictor Southern Premier South clash in a week having picked up four points from a possible six courtesy of a 0-0 draw with Merthyr and a 2-0 victory over Yate.

Dorchester have already beaten their fellow Magpies Wimborne 1-0 in Southern League Cup action this season and Brooks is keen to snowball his side’s momentum.

He told Echosport: “Games are easier when you’re going into them knowing you’ve got a good platform behind you.

“You’ve got a bit of a cushion, you don’t need to panic if you go behind. It’s very hard when you go into games without winning.

“Every game that goes on it’s like a backpack, or a weight on your shoulders. Every defeat that gets a little bit heavier. The only way of relieving that weight is to be picking up points and wins.

“That has the opposite effect. Rather than putting weight on, that takes weight off and you can go into games with a little bit more freedom, more confidence.

“Obviously after two games we’re not singing from the rooftops, we’re not in full flow. But we’ve got a couple of layers of belief now which would’ve been stripped from us at (Weston).”

He added: “I’ve really got to credit (the players). You can’t do anything without character.

“After conceding six, the same back line have just kept back-to-back clean sheets, which is no mean feat and it’s a step in the right direction.

“I was proud of them defensively and I thought Shane Murphy was outstanding.”

Despite having a detailed knowledge of Wimborne, Brooks believes Dorchester’s increased confidence could be a bigger weapon.

He said: “We’ve got a good knowledge of the opposition and they’ll feel the same about us.

“It always helps to have an idea of how the opposition are going to play and what their threats are because you can pre-plan how you’re going to nullify those threats and how you’re going to exploit their weaknesses.

“That’s handy, but nothing as handy as going there with some confidence in the group.

“We’ve lacked that momentum this season and if we go there and win that will probably be our best run this season. That’s really what’s at stake.

“We do feel it’s a game not only that we want to win, but it is a game where if we’re at the levels we can be at, we can win.

“Let’s not rest on our laurels, let’s really pull some points in and get ourselves where we feel we should be. It’s time to deliver now.”

Dorchester’s only injury absentee is Kyle Egan (knee), who is still two weeks away from a return.