DORCHESTER TOWN 2

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 1

DAN Munday came off the bench and netted a late winner for the Magpies as they picked up three crucial points against fellow strugglers Tonbridge Angels tonight.

With just four points separating the two sides at the foot of the Skrill South table ahead of kick-off, this was clearly a huge clash and the county town outfit rose to the occasion and thoroughly deserved their victory.

Dorchester boss Phil Simkin made three changes to the starting XI that began the 5-1 defeat at Havant & Waterlooville in their previous outing.

New signing Ryan Case came straight into the side and made his debut at the back where Steve Walker also returned, while Josh Tennant began up front alongside Brandon Goodship.

Alex Godfrey, Craig Michie and Josh Wakefield were the men that made way and there were also a couple of different faces on the bench, where Jamie Beasley and Antony Carlile joined Jason Kennard, Dan Munday and Tony Rolls.

Tonbridge’s away form in the league was nearly as bad as Dorchester’s home record going into the encounter, and that made the open nature of the early exchanges a bit of a surprise.

Visiting keeper Lewis Carey made a brave save at the feet of Goodship after four minutes before a fine cross from Chris Piper at the other end saw Mikel Suarez head wide, just moments later.

The action was certainly frantic with the Angels looking to utilise Suarez’s height up front as much as possible.

Unsurprisingly, Goodship was proving Dorchester’s main threat and, on 12 minutes, he got on the end of a cross at the far post, only to see his header comfortably saved by Carey.

The AFC Bournemouth loanee’s clever movement was clearly bamboozling the Tonbridge defence and he was in on goal again just two minutes later, only for his first touch to let him down following Case’s exquisite cross-field pass.

Although Tonbridge were carrying a major threat from set- pieces, the Magpies were looking the more likely scorers and on 21 minutes they struck the woodwork.

Dan Way galloped down the left and supplied a wonderful out-swinging cross and there was Goodship again right on cue to send his header crashing against the crossbar.

The Magpies had set a high tempo from the start and were starving their opponents of time and space.

They were also getting some joy down the flanks.

All they needed now was a goal but unfortunately a wild challenge from Mark Jermyn on 34 minutes led to the deadlock being broken at the other end.

The Dorchester skipper deser-vedly went into the book for his mistimed lunge on Nathan Green and, from the resulting free-kick, his team paid the ultimate price, as Mark Lovell nodded home at the near post.

The Angels were certainly not worthy of their lead but it did not last long with the hosts replying just eight minutes later from another set-piece.

Jake Smeeton fired a free-kick into the box from the left and when Steve Walker nodded it back across goal there was Goodship to direct the ball in at the far post.

That equaliser was the very least the Magpies deserved but, after the break, the momentum shifted a little as more space began to open up for the Angels.

The impressive Green was starting to cause problems down the left flank and, for the first 20 minutes of the second period, Dorch-ester struggled at times to get out of their own half.

Suarez headed just wide from a corner on 64 minutes before Alan Walker-Harris was forced into a save down to his right following a strike from Shamir Goodwin.

The Magpies weathered the pressure well and moments later they went close themselves when Nick Crittenden cut in from the left and found Jamie Gleeson, whose 16-yard effort flew over the crossbar.

Carey then turned a shot from Goodship into the side-netting before a crucial intervention from Ryan Watts stopped Crittenden getting in at the far post.

The game was now swinging from end to end but Dorchester continued to look the more incisive side, and they were duly rewarded with a winner on 87 minutes when Munday turned the ball in from 12 yards to the delight of the home faithful.

Magpies: Walker-Harris 7, Case 7, Smeeton 7, Jermyn 7, Walker 8, Lanahan 7, Crittenden 7, Gleeson 7, Goodship 8, Tennant 7, Way 7 (Beasley 46, 5 (Munday 62, 7)). Subs not used: Kennard, Carlile, Rolls.

Tonbridge: Carey, Piper, Heath, Lovell, Elphick (Muggeridge 46), Miles, Watts (Blewden 88), Browning, Suarez (Pinney 85), Goodwin, Green. Subs not used: Appiah, Masters.

Bookings – Magpies: Jermyn (foul 35), Crittenden (foul 90).

Tonbridge: None.

Referee: Mark Pottage (Gillingham)

Attendance: 281