DORCHESTER TOWN 2 HISTON 0

DORCHESTER Town got back to winning ways at the Avenue this afternoon with a hard-fought win over visitors Histon.

A Max York own goal before the interval and a neat Ben Watson strike near the end of the second half gave the hosts the three points.

Magpies’ assistant-manager Nick Crittenden, replacing the injured Chris Dillon, started for the first time since the derby defeat to Weymouth on Boxing Day a dozen games previously.

The hosts, facing a side that going into the match had only won once away from home in the league this season, made the better start.

Two Dan Smith set-pieces nearly produced the first goal of the contest.

Mark Jermyn headed a corner just wide and then Matt Oldring inadvertently blocked Jake Smeeton’s effort as it headed towards the target.

The game was just beginning to warm up when a sickening collision on halfway between Crittenden and visiting captain Stuart Wall both being substituted.

Sam Lanahan took Crittenden’s place in the Dorchester midfield, while Eugene Libertucci replaced Wall, who came off the worst in the incident and looked very groggy as he left the pitch.

Both teams created half-chances after that, Jamie Gleeson and Smeeton for the hosts, Nick Freeman for the away side.

Histon right-back York did find the back of the net on 31 minutes, though unfortunately for him it was his own goal that he put the ball in.

A lovely pass from Gleeson found Bradley Tarbuck and his driven cross was turned in by an under pressure York.

The Stutes hadn’t really threatened Alan Walker-Harris’ goal for the majority of the first half, but they came close to equalising on 40 minutes.

A dangerous corner caused problems for Walker-Harris but he had one of his defenders to thank when the ball was cleared off the line.

The stoppage in play earlier in the half meant a longer than normal period of injury-time, and it was during this spell that the visitors had a couple of other chances to level.

First, a Freeman effort from distance was palmed away by Walker-Harris, then Ayrton Bevins almost forced Oldring into conceding an own goal.

Histon kept pressing at the start of the second period.

A weak Smeeton clearance fell to Sam Ives, he fed Ryan Augea and only a smart stop by Walker-Harris prevented the striker making it 1-1.

Things began to get a little heated on the Histon bench when Evan Key was cautioned for a foul on Smith, that coming after Oldring had been yellow carded for the hosts.

And after Histon keeper Enol Ordonez had pushed a Nathan Walker header out for a corner, there then followed a spate on three cautions in as many minutes.

Gleeson and Walker had their names taken for fouls, while Libertucci said one too many words out of turn to Poole referee Ben Cobb.

At only 1-0 down Histon were very much still in the game, and had the Avenue pitch been a bit kinder to Bevins he may have made it all square.

Oldring wasn’t capable of dealing with a bouncing ball but the ball took a nasty bobble for Bevins and he shanked his effort badly when clean through.

That miss proved crucial for the Stutes as, on 81 minutes, Dorchester doubled their advantage.

Smeeton linked up with Smith, he crossed to Watson, and, with his back to goal, the striker swivelled one way then the other before firing into the top corner with his left foot.

Lewis Morgan could have added a third late on but his deflected shot sailed over the top.

Magpies: Walker-Harris, Oldring, Smeeton, Jermyn, Gleeson, Morgan, Tarbuck (Murray 87), Crittenden (Lanahan 20), Watson, Walker, Smith. Subs not used: Brookes, Parrett, Woodland.

Histon: Ordonez, York, Smith, Key, Wall (Libertucci 20, Simpson 79), Rumens, Ives, Fulcher (McGeorge 69), Bevins, Augea, Freeman. Subs not used: White, Relizani, Simpson.

Bookings: Magpies – Oldring (foul, 54), Gleeson (foul, 66), Walker (foul, 68)

Histon – Smith (foul, 37), Key (foul, 57), Libertucci (dissent, 68)

Referee: Ben Cobb (Poole)

Attendance: 436