Dorchester 1 FISHER ATHLETIC 0 THE scoreline might suggest a close game - but nothing was further from the truth at the Avenue Stadium last night.

Dorchester were streets ahead of last season's fellow relegation candidates from London's dockland and only the goalkeeping of veteran Maurice Munden and some wayward finishing stopped the Magpies opening their home programme with an avalanche of goals.

But their failure to accept their chances - which cost them dearly at Rothwell on Saturday - again made for a tense last few minutes as they clung to the 57th minute lead given them by new signing Phil Andrews.

Fisher, who eeked out a draw when they also provided the first opposition at Dorchester last season, were under the cosh from the kick-off.

Martyn Sullivan blasted centimetres wide of the upright and Danny O'Hagan headed over before having a scooped, close range effort blocked in the goalmouth amid appeals for handball - and that was all inside the first four minutes!

But as the escapes came thick and fast at Fisher's end, there was a let-off for Dorchester at the other. Ray Powell's shot beat Mark Ormerod and rolled in at the far post - only for Steve McKenzie to be flagged for offside when he appeared to just follow the ball into the net without making contact.

Dorchester were soon pressing forward again however and Fisher's Ben Taylor threw himself into the path of Keeler's goalbound drive on the edge of the six-yard box before Matty Holmes burst into the area to send another shot skidding past a post.

On 16 minutes it seemed Andrews must score when Keeler's ferocious drive bounced back to him off Munden's chest. But he hit the goalkeeper with his follow-up effort and when the ball again ran loose Keeler sent it sailing over the stand.

Sullivan's glancing header and Keeler's off-balance shot drifted harmlessly wide as the Magpies kept up the relentless pressure and there was little respite for Munden who dived full stretch to turn away Sullivan's left-foot pile-driver. Again the rebound fell to Andrews who hammered it back across goal and wide of the far post.

A brilliant move down the right saw Sullivan whip in a cross which the diving Andrews again sent flashing past the upright and after the break it was soon business as usual.

Munden just beat O'Hagan in a race for Keeler's long through pass but when the striker blocked his clearance on the edge of the area the ball looped back to miss the open goal by no more than a couple of feet.

Munden's luck finally ran out after 57 minutes - and predictably it was the ferocity of Keeler's shooting that proved his undoing. Set up by Holmes short free-kick 30 yards out, Keeler unleashed a rocket that Munden could only push aside and Andrews swooped to net a predator's goal from what had seemed an impossible angle.

As Dorchester looked to kill the game off, Andrews hooked over from ten yards, Keeler was denied at the near post by the diving Munden and both Sullivan and substitute Marcus Oldbury could feel aggrieved that strong penalty claims went against them.

And Dorchester's fans had that sinking feeling when a late Fisher sortie saw McKenzie flick the ball over Mike White's head and home in on goal. Luckily Ormerod was alert to the threat and blocked with his legs from six yards.