DORCHESTER TOWN 1 BURNHAM 0

DORCHESTER Town were indebted to a slice of good fortune as they fought their way to a 1-0 win over Burnham at the Avenue tonight.

The hosts got what proved to be the winning goal with 16 minutes on the clock when Andy Robin-son’s shot from distance struck the shin of opposition defender Jordan Ajanlekoko and nestled in the Burnham net.

On the balance of play, the Magpies were just about worthy of the three points, and a second consecutive league triumph sets them up nicely for Saturday’s tilt at Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup.

Boss Graham Kemp started last night’s contest with the same side that finished the victory over Hitchin at the weekend.

Nathan Walker, Ryan Murray and Sam Lanahan came in for Charlie Davis, Josh Kaye and Ben Joyce.

Davis was a substitute along with Jason Brookes and Shane Murphy, who both returned to the squad, while Kaye missed out altogether and Joyce was recovering from his hamstring injury.

Jake Smeeton retained the captain’s armband despite Walker’s return.

After a fairly tame opening, Burnham’s Tom O’Regan sparked the game into life with a wicked left-foot shot that had to be palmed away by Alan Walker-Harris.

However, 60 seconds later the hosts were in front, Robinson’s long-range effort taking a wicked deflection off Ajanlekoko before finding its way past visiting keeper Alex Lynch.

Burnham thought they had equalised midway through the half when Ferdinand Takyi fired into the roof of the net, only for a linesman’s flag to save Dorchester.

It was then Takyi’s turn to be denied by Walker-Harris. Burn-ham skipper Nathan Paulton got past Chris Dillon, fired in a cross and Takyi somehow managed to back-heel the ball into the turf.

But a great reaction save by Walker-Harris saw him tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

Both sides were finding space to play in and the Magpies looked to utilise the pace of Jack Odam and Dan Smith whenever they could.

Burnham didn’t play like a team that had lost their last three in the league going into the fixture, and they gave the hosts plenty to think about when they ventured forward.

The only real incidents of note during the rest of the first half were yellow cards for Burnham duo Paulton and Regan, the first for shirt pulling, the second for a foul on Smith.

The visitors, in a bid to get themselves level, brought on Nicke Kabamba for Takyi at half-time – the former had scored all of his side’s goals in a 5-1 thrashing of Bideford a few weeks earlier.

He had the first chance of the second half but dragged his shot well wide having been found by Nathan Webb.

After taking a knock to the Achilles, Odam nearly caught out Lynch at the keeper’s near post, before Daniel Brown replaced Romaine Walker for the away team.

A few minutes later, Dorchester brought on some fresh legs for the first time with Charlie Davis replacing Nick Crittenden.

At that stage of the game, all it seemed to be was substitutes and yellow cards – Smeeton was cautioned for the Magpies and Craig Carby for Burnham.

Then Lanahan, the scorer of Dorchester’s winner on Saturday, went close to doubling the home side’s lead.

The midfielder flicked Smith’s cross with the outside of his right foot and Lynch got down well to save.

A second goal for Dorchester would have killed off the visitors and Odam nearly got it when he ran on to a pass from Murray but blasted over.

Although Burnham offered little in attack during the second half, the home fans could never fully relax with their side only one goal to the good.

However, Kemp’s men saw out the closing stages relatively comfortably to complete their first league double of the campaign.

Magpies: Walker-Harris 7, Murray 7, Smeeton 6 (Hanger 76), Gleeson 6, Walker 6, Dillon 6, Crittenden 6 (Davis 63, 4), Lanahan 7, Odam 6, Robinson 7, Smith 7. Subs not used: Murphy, Oldring, Brookes.

Burnham: Lynch, J Webb, Carby, Hewitt, Ajanlekoko, Brooks, O’Regan (Lockhart-Adams 80), Paulton, Takyi (Kabamba 46), Walker (Brown 59), N Webb. Subs not used: Jones, Bates.

Booked: Magpies – Smeeton (foul, 65) Burnham – Paulton (shirt pulling, 38), O’Regan (foul, 45), Carby (foul, 67)

Referee: Andrew Quin (Plymouth)

Attendance: 269

* Dorchester Town Reserves go to Moneyfields in the Wyvern Premier Division tonight (7.45pm).