Yeovil plan ground-share

Yeovil Town have agreed to ground-share with non-league Dorchester Town for the start of next season if their stadium is not ready in time.

The Huish Park pitch is to be relaid over the summer, and will not be available for pre-season friendlies.

Depending on how the new surface beds down, the Glovers may be forced to play their first few Conference games elsewhere.

But Dorchester's Avenue Stadium is among the more impressive of the region's non-league grounds.

It also has the experience of staging League football - as Bournemouth played there for the first three months of last season while Dean Court was redeveloped.

Yeovil chairman John Fry said: "I know all our supporters want to see the pitch relaid and I'm sure they will bear with us until we can return to Huish Park."

Magpies director David Martin added: "We are delighted to be able to help Yeovil. We look forward to welcoming their supporters to the Avenue Stadium, and hope their stay is as successful as that of Bournemouth last season."

However, there will be one aspect of ground-sharing in which Yeovil will not want to emulate Bournemouth.

The Cherries managed a respectable five wins from eight league games at Dorchester last season, leaving them in mid-table - but were then relegated after a miserable run of form after their return "home".