50s: A cracking start

For a while now, many of our tournament reports for DSWFC 50s have mentioned potential. Well, the new season has started with us tapping into that potential from the outset.

Our new-look Thunder and strengthened Storm squads arrived at our home venue, The County Ground, in Hamworthy for the opening league fixtures of the Dorset Walking Football League in late afternoon, for a 6pm kick-off.

DSWFC Matchday Info

5 October, 18:00 | County Ground, Hamworthy | 50s League Round One | Chilly and dry

DSWFC Tournament Report

Tournament report by Andy Madden

While the 2024/25 season provided some highlights for our two 50s teams, neither players nor management could consider it to have been the success we’d all hoped. Surprising then to find both squads full of confidence entering the new season? Not at all. These players have determination, steel and enthusiasm in large quantities. This was their time.

And so it was on Sunday 5 October, Dexter’s welcomed the eight other squads in the expanded Dorset Walking Football League 50s Division, to our home ground for the opening round of the new season.

Dexter’s Storm

For reigning champions Bournemouth, this was a baptism, more by Storm than fire, as their high expectations were blown away by a combination of clinical finishing from Luke Hitchen and Gary Craig and a “thou shall not pass” brick wall of Darren Snell, Simon Baker and the outstanding Billy Bulloch in goal.

But it was Nick Webb who provided the glue between front and back with an exceptional display of man-marking, “body on the line” blocking, midfield marauding and on-hand assisting. He was a pest; both a wrecker and a creator. To eventually inflict a 4-2 defeat on the champions laid down a significant marker and would issue a severe warning to the rest of the league.

Storm went into the final match of the day a 100% record after a 2-1 win over Sherborne – more evidence that this team can go a long way.

Pesky Eastleigh are never easy to play against regardless of the age group. In match three, Storm were easily deserving of their 1 goal lead (having also missed a penalty), and should have made more of the time Eastleigh were reduced to 5 men.

Not capitalising on these opportunities, however, is a risky strategy and it took one simple clearance to flukily ricochet off an opposing player’s knee and into the bottom corner for two points to have melted away.

Dexter’s Thunder

A Thunder team looking very different from last season would naturally need time to define itself, so it was both exciting and satisfying to witness flowing football and cohesion so early on.

With Mark Cope between the sticks, new skipper Dave Lodge in the middle and sharp-shooter Jase Sheath up front, the spine of the team looks set for the season. Compliment that with a highly effective new defensive partnership of Simon Allen and Neil Gorridge along with wily Andy Shute and there exists the makings of a side which can stand toe-to-toe with any in the League.

…but remember, it would take time for the side to find its feet and certainly longer than 30 minutes against a formidable Amesbury side. An opening defeat for Thunder, where eight walking offences contributed considerably to the 3-0 defeat. Back we came in the second match, against new boys Bournemouth Whites. Goals from Jase and Dave chalked up a first victory of the season.

Unfortunately, a Dorchester team which had not performed as they expected in the first two matches, were out with a point to prove in match three. That as well as flagging energy, resulted in another defeat. However, the first half was excellent, with controlling, calm football played.

Aside from the starting sixes, it was hugely valuable to have been able to call on Martin Ball and Andy Wilson to offer us support from the bench. They both performed admirably when needed.

This was a great start to the season and a combined three victories and 10 goals scored, is a monumental improvement on last seasons start of no wins and no goals. We’re looking forward to November’s league round already.

DSWFC Tournament Results

Opponents	Score & highlights
Amesbury	Lost 0-3 Eight running offences committed by Thunder!
Bournemouth Whites	Won 2-0 Two former DSWFC players in the Whites side. Goals for Jase and Dave Lodge.
Dorchester	Lost 1-4 Goalless at half-time. Second goal of the day for Jase.

Opponents	Score & highlights
Bournemouth	Won 4-2 Four non-walking offences resulted in a penalty conceded and missed with the last kick of the match. Two goals each for Luke and Gary.
Sherborne	Won 2-1 A further three non-walking offences! Another goal each for Luke and Gary – third goals of the day for both.
Eastleigh	Drew 1-1 Eastleigh’s equalizer came late in the match. Luke’s fourth goal of the day, to start the season. And yet more non-walking offences – three again!

DSWFC Player Season Stats

Here you can see the DSWFC 50s tournament appearances and goals for the season to date.

Player	Tournaments	Goals
Allen, Simon	1	0
Baker, Simon	1	0
Ball, Martin	1	0
Bulloch, Billy	1	–
Cope, Mark	1	–
Craig, Gary	1	3
Gorridge, Neil	1	0
Hitchen, Luke	1	4
Lodge, Dave	1	1
Sheath, Jase	1	2
Shute, Andy	1	0
Snell, Darren	1	0
Webb, Nick	1	0
Wilson, Andy	1	0

League Overview

Amesbury were the big winners on day one of the new season, as they secured nine points from their three matches. Defending champions Bournemouth started the defence of their title in slow fashion, collecting just four points. New team, Bournemouth, collected no points, while Dexter’s Storm, Dorchester and Eastleigh all remain unbeaten.

Why not take look at the Dorset Walking Football League tables. It includes all the results and history of the 50s, 60s and 65s over the past few seasons.

Future Dates

The next league round of the 50s Dorset Walking Football League is scheduled for Sunday 2 November at The Littledown Centre in Bournemouth – kick-off is midday.

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