SLOUGH 2

Smith 23, Dyer 84

DORCHESTER 1

Lanahan 29

DORCHESTER Town were undone by yet another late goal at Holloways Park this afternoon, as they went down to a fourth successive league reverse.

Substitute Johnnie Dyer came up with an 84th-minute winner for the hosts, just as it looked as though the Magpies were going to hold on for a share of the spoils.

Defeats for Arlesey and Frome mean the county town side still occupies 20th place in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division.

The big news from the Dorchester camp before the game was the omission of club captain Nathan Walker from the matchday squad.

Nick Crittenden, back from injury, took over the skipper’s armband, while Connor Doe made his debut at right-back, replacing Ryan Murray.

With Walker not featuring, Robbie Matthews reverted to centre-half alongside Chris Dillon.

Matthews, Dillon and the rest of the Dorchester defence came under pressure from the first whistle.

Luke Knight fired just over from 25 yards inside the opening 60 seconds, before Alan Walker-Harris was forced to save from Scott Harris.

Minutes later, an Adrian Sears effort took a deflection off Harris but Walker-Harris did well to keep out the Slough captain’s attempt on goal.

The aforementioned Knight then connected superbly with Sean Fraser’s cross only to see his volley strike a post.

Slough eventually made the breakthrough 23 minutes in when Doe blocked Knight’s shot, the ball dropped to Ed Smith 15 yards out and he lashed an effort past Walker-Harris.

But the home side strangely went off the boil after that, and the Magpies made the most of it.

A long free-kick into the Rebels’ box was flicked on by Matthews and Sam Lanahan got to the ball before keeper Jake Somerville, who would have regretted his decision to come for the cross.

There were no more goals in the first half but the balance of power certainly seemed to shifting in Dorchester’s favour.

The visitors began the second half as they had ended the first, and both Jack Odam and Doe went close to making it 2-1.

First, Odam headed just over the bar and then Doe’s deflected shot was gathered by Somerville.

And after the two sides had made their first substitutions, Dan Smith tested Somerville with a driven effort that the Slough stopper did well to tip around the post.

The hosts came back with a good spell of pressure which saw Harris head over a Jake Parsons cross and the latter bring the best out of Walker-Harris.

Parsons was beginning to have more of an influence on proceedings and his mazy run was the catalyst for a hectic passage of play that nearly brought a second goal for the Rebels.

But with six minutes left, a superb through ball from Slough captain Sear found Dyer and he slotted a shot past Walker-Harris.

It was a devastating blow to Dorchester’s hopes of claiming at least a point, and if it wasn’t for Walker-Harris then Parsons may well have added a third late on.

Slough: Somerville, Fraser, R Parsons, Hollis, Rumbold, Edwards, J Parsons Sear, Harris, Smith (Dyer 61), Knight. Subs not used: Moran, McClurg, Betts, Foulser.

Magpies: Walker-Harris, Doe (Murray 64), Oldring, Gleeson, Matthews, Dillon, Crittenden (Godfrey 88), Lanahan, Odam, Smith, Walsh (Parrett 61). Subs not used: Rolls, Murphy.

Bookings: Slough – Smith (foul, 39)

Magpies – None

Referee: Alex Neil

Attendance: 254