GILLINGHAM TOWN 2

BALTI SPORTS 0

BALTI Sports slipped to a third successive defeat, losing 2-0 at Gillingham Town despite a spirited performance in the Dorset Premier League.

Sports, who were forced to call upon retired Jason Pearce, were without a mammoth 15 players through injury and absenteeism.

Selection issues were compounded when Sports conceded an early goal after just two minutes as Brad Hansford’s cross was dropped by goalkeeper Andy Nott, enabling Ashley Clarke to tap home at the back post.

Gillingham also hit the woodwork but Balti then settled and enjoyed the better of play for the remainder of the half without creating gilt-edged chances to threaten Town’s lead.

Carl McClements and Scott Walker controlled proceedings in the centre of the park as Balti continued to grow into the game.

Gillingham responded after the break but spurned two more good chances, while Balti’s Ash Smith was also guilty of wasting two excellent opportunities.

But Gillingham bookended the game by doubling their advantage on 85 minutes, forcing a Balti defender into scrambling the ball over the line under the attention of two Town attackers in a hectic passage of play after another dangerous cross caused havoc.

Speaking to Echosport following the clash, an upbeat Balti boss Marco Nott felt his side had “edged” the encounter.

He said: “Apart from five minutes at the start and end it was an extremely even game, we probably edged it a little bit, especially with possession but unfortunately we came out with a loss.

“We came out in good spirits because we had a young lad, Dan Harding, he’s never played at that level before and he came in at centre-back alongside Simon Proffitt, who made his first start of the season.

“Those two, a young centre-back partnership I thought were outstanding, I was really pleased with their performance.”

Elaborating on the contest, Nott felt the match had a peculiar feel about it.

He said: “It was a funny game, a good game, quite enjoyable. We went there depleted – I think we had 15 unavailabilities in the end, which is so frustrating.

“We gave a good account of ourselves and it was probably the youngest side we’ve ever fielded.

“Gillingham’s a really tough place to go but the first five minutes was sloppy and their lad tapped in at the back post.

“They literally scored the second with five minutes to go, so we left there not too disappointed.”

Balti: A Nott, R Walker, Harding, Proffitt, L Taylor, Smith, McClements, S Walker, Dean (O’Shaughnessy 60), Pearce (Stavrianos 60), Lane. Sub not used: M Nott

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