Blandford United skipper Dan Holland hopes Royals can build on their new-found confidence after they ended a seven-match run of defeats by winning 4-0 at Cranborne on Saturday.

Joey Matthews and Holland struck to put the visitors firmly in control at the break, before Saul Boulton and John Elliott finished the job off.

The Royals had not won a Magna Dorset Premier League game since their 3-1 triumph at Merley Cobham Sports on August 17 and Holland admitted players had been “hiding” on the pitch.

So he was delighted to see them blow away their doubts with a commanding display against the Cranes, whom they leapfrogged in the table to go third from bottom.

Holland said: “Everything just fell into place for once. We took our chances early and being 4-0 up, you can afford to miss chances.

“It would have been great to get a few more goals and improve our goal difference. But as soon as we got the third, we played with a lot of confidence, kept the ball and moved it around.

“It’s better when you’re winning because everyone wants the ball, everyone needs the ball. When you’re losing, everyone hides and it’s frustrating.”

Blandford have always fielded a young side and Royals’ lack of experience can sometimes prove their downfall.

But Holland, who is just 21, felt the club’s DPL veterans stepped up to the mark against the Cranes.

He said: “We’ve got a young team. I’m one of the most experienced players in the squad.

“We’ve got a few faces who have been around the block a few times and have played for quite a few seasons in the DPL.

“We needed those faces to pull us out of the rut we’ve been in and they did the job on Saturday.”

Elsewhere, Merley Cobham Sports stunned Poole Borough by picking up a 2-0 triumph at Turlin Moor.

Lewis Burgess struck after 36 minutes, before Oliver Clayton bagged a second on 53 to complete an impressive victory.

Holt United went fifth in the table with a 3-0 victory over Chickerell United. Despite missing a penalty early on, goals from Sam Purdy, Simon Edwards and Luke Stone earned them the points.

Swanage Town and Herston suffered a 7-0 hammering at home to Westland Sports, while a Luke Geddis effort failed to save Sturminster Marshall from a 3-1 loss against Weymouth at Churchill Close.

In the day’s other game, Portland United took over at the top of the table with a 3-1 win over Wincanton Town on the island.