MERLEY Cobham maintained their one-point lead at the Dorset Premier League summit with a comfortable 3-1 success over struggling Blandford United.

Stuart Cannie laid the foundations with a seventh-minute strike and Ollie Cherrett’s charges were in control once Dave Wrixton had doubled the lead.

Cannie’s second and 10th DPL goal of the season wrapped up the victory seven minutes after the interval with Rob Manson’s late consolation a mere blot on the home side’s copybook.

Hamworthy Recreation kept up the pressure on the leaders, emerging with a 3-2 victory from an ill-tempered clash against Weymouth reserves.

Sam Purdy opened the scoring for Rec in the 11th minute, a slender lead that lasted until just after half-time.

Jamie Beasley levelled after the restart before both teams were reduced to 10 men with Rec’s Richie Sands and Terras’ Sam Nicholls issued straight red cards for violent conduct.

Dom Falco restored the home side’s lead before top-scorer Luke Stone seemingly settled the issue with his 16th league goal of the season.

Although Luke Chatterton halved the deficit, it was too little too late for the Terras.

Champions Portland United remain in contention but they left it late to open the floodgates at Sturminster Marshall.

Lewis Whyton struck in the 65th minute with Adam Linaker (2) and Charlie May completing the 4-0 rout.

Elsewhere, Cranborne could not build on Harry Tendler’s first-half equaliser and went on to lose 3-1 at home to Shaftesbury Town.

Second-bottom Poole Borough lost 5-3 at home to Tintinhull despite goals from James Morgan’s double and a Lee Thomas effort.