MAGPIES 1

Crittenden (pen) 73

BOREHAM WOOD 4

Montgomery 9, 85, Oyenuga 11, Whichelow 18

THREE goals in the space of nine first-half minutes put paid to any hopes the Magpies had of getting something from today’s Skrill South clash with Boreham Wood at the Avenue.

Nick Crittenden did pull a goal back from the penalty spot 17 minutes from the end but Graeme Montgomery sealed the victory for the visitors late on with his second of the afternoon.

Dorchester’s defending had been getting better in recent weeks, however, the frailties that have bugged them so often this season returned and there was no way of recovering from a 3-0 deficit after 18 minutes.

The Magpies’ afternoon had started well with Jamie Gleeson being declared fit having missed the draw with Staines through injury.

His return to the side meant Sam Lanahan dropped to the bench with Dan Munday unavailable because of an ankle problem.

And the hosts made a lively start when the game got under way, Charlie Losasso just failing to connect with Warren Byerley’s low cross after the latter and breached the visitors’ offside trap.

That came after two minutes and soon after it was Losasso who had the Magpies’ next chance, also getting beyond the Boreham Wood back four before firing over the bar.

But with nine minutes on the clock, Ian Allinson’s side went in front courtesy of a howitzer from the left foot of Montgomery.

Picking the ball up some 20 yards from the Dorchester goal, the midfielder drilled an unstoppable shot past Alan Walker-Harris.

And the Magpies’ keeper was picking the ball out of his net two minutes later as Kudus Oyenuga made it 2-0.

It was a simple long ball over the top that found the striker in oceans of space and, with a cool finish, he slipped a shot under Walker-Harris.

A disastrous start then got even worse 18 minutes in when Wood’s scored their third of the afternoon.

Memories of the Whitehawk debacle of earlier in the campaign, and Dorchester’s 5-0 thrashing by Boreham Wood in January, came flooding back as Matthew Whichelow’s free-kick sailed into the top corner.

The normally restrained Crittenden was clearly upset with the situation his team had found themselves in and he was given a talking to by referee Derek Eaton for voicing his frustrations to the official.

Dorchester really knew it wasn’t their day when Jake Smeeton was harshly shown a yellow card for what appeared to be a firm but fair challenge on Loick Pires, the visitors’ new signing who came into the side for Junior Morias.

Montgomery went close to getting a fourth on 33 minutes, his curling effort just not curling enough to find the far corner.

While to some extent it was damage limitation for Dorchester, they did have a couple of opportunities to pull a goal back.

The best of those before the break fell to Ashley Yeoman but Boreham Wood skipper Charlie O’Loughlin recovered in time to get a crucial block in.

Whichelow stung the palms of Walker-Harris on the stroke of half-time, leaving Montgomery to find the terrace behind the goal with the follow up attempt.

With all the damage being done in the first 45 minutes, it looked like the game was going to fizzle out during the second period.

Brothers Nathan and Steve Walker finally got to play together at the back for the Magpies when the latter replaced Gleeson on 50 minutes, and not long after his introduction Oyenuga came within inches of making it 4-0.

Clean through, the striker lifted the ball over Walker-Harris only for the keeper to tip his effort onto the bar.

With a last throw of the dice, Dorchester brought on Lanahan and Clive Makoni for Jake McCarthy and Byerley respectively.

A faint glimmer of hope then fell Dorchester’s way when they were gifted a penalty.

An over-hit Losasso free-kick was gathered comfortably by James Russell in the visitors’ goal but the referee pointed to the spot after ruling that there had been a shove on a home player.

Crittenden stepped up to slam the penalty down the centre of the goal for a second spot-kick success in consecutive games.

Any hopes of a miraculous escape were ended in the 85th minute when Montgomery produced another clinical finish to make it 4-1.

The midfielder found himself in plenty of room in the Magpies’ box to side-foot home and put the result beyond doubt if it hadn’t been sealed already.

Magpies: Walker-Harris, McCarthy (Lanahan 64), Smeeton (S Walker 50), Jermyn, N Walker, Craig, Crittenden, Gleeson, Yeoman, Byerley (Makoni 66), Losasso. Subs not used: Twyford, Way.

Wood: Russell, Nunn, Morgan, Garrard, O'Loughlin, Reynolds, Whichelow (Noto 87), Cox, Pires (Angol 66), Oyenuga (Morias 78), Montgomery. Subs not used: Brown, Courtnage.

Yellow cards: Magpies – Smeeton (foul 28), Lanahan (foul 89)

Wood – Pires (foul 63), Morias (foul 90+4)

Referee: Derek Eaton (Tewkesbury)

Attendance: 401