DORCHESTER were sunk by a late winner from substitute Ben Mackey as St Neots claimed victory in an 11-goal thriller at the Cozy Stadium.

In an amazing first half, Drew Roberts scored a 34-minute hat-trick and Lewis Hilliard also netted but the Magpies hit back after each Saints goal in a fascinating ding-dong battle which left a half-time score of 4-4.

Both sides shored up their defences a little in the second half but when the next goal came 19 minutes from time, it was Dorchester’s Jack Odam who fired his side in front for the first time in the match.

However, the hosts hit back strongly and equalised through their Chris Dillon before Mackey pounced to grab all three points for the home side.

That was tough on Dorchester who were left to contemplate on the long trek home just how they had managed to score five goals on away soil yet failed to pick up a single point for their efforts.

The lively Roberts opened the scoring after three minutes when he exchanged passes with Dave Hutton then beat Alan Walker-Harris in the Dorchester goal at the second attempt after his first effort was blocked.

A bobbling low shot from Matt Spring was then scooped up by the Magpies’ gloveman.

The first St Neots’ lead lasted nine minutes until Odam shrugged off the attentions of Tom Ward to play a pass along the 18-yard line for Robbie Matthews to equalise with a low drive.

From a Spring corner, Ward’s header deflected wide while Walker-Harris saved a shot from the home side’s Dillon who also sent a 25-yard lob attempt just wide.

However, it was from a Dillon lay-off that Hilliard produced the perfect right-wing cross which enabled Roberts to powerfully head home from six yards to restore the Cambridgeshire side’s lead.

That advantage lasted no more than three minutes before the Magpies hauled themselves back on to level terms when their own Chris Dillon crossed from the right and Nathan Walker slotted past veteran home keeper, Paul Bastock.

The much-travelled stopper then found himself in the referee’s notebook after racing from his area to trip Matthews on the touchline.

Roberts completed his hat-trick in the 34th minute connecting with Hutton’s cross after another swift Saints’ attack.

Four minutes later, that advan-tage was prised away as Andy Robinson’s free-kick was met by Matthews at the far post whose header was parried by Bastock but turned in at the far post by the visiting Dillon.

Dorchester’s defensive short-comings resurfaced quickly and, barely a minute later, the Saints took the lead for a fourth time when Hilliard raced on to a through ball from Roberts to fire past Walker-Harris.

Back came Dorchester and Mason Walsh curled in a delightful fourth equaliser from 18 yards when the ball broke to him on the right wing.

Saints’ Dillon then fired over, Matthews had a low shot saved by Bastock, Roberts was denied a personal fourth goal by Walker-Harris and Spring sent another shot over as the two sides kept up the high tempo right until the half-time whistle.

No doubt concerned at the alarming ease with which St Neots had been able to break through the Magpies’ midfield in the first half, Dorchester boss Graham Kemp opted to introduce Jamie Gleeson to replace Kieran Parrett at the start of the second.

Jay Davies, Ward, Hilliard and Hutton were all off target with early second half attempts while Walker-Harris cut out a Spring set-piece.

A Robinson free-kick at the other end was fired over the wall but clawed aside by the alert Bastock.

A slip by Ward gave Odam a shooting chance but his effort was cut out by the Saints’ stopper.

As the pace of the game again livened, Walker cleared off the Dorchester goal-line after Hill-iard’s cross was parried by Walker-Harris.

But then came the break-through that Dorchester’s travell-ing fans hoped would prove decisive.

In similar fashion to the Saints’ opening goal, Odam played the ball out to Walsh on the right wing then received a quick return from which he fired past Bastock to give the Magpies the lead for the first time in the match after 71 minutes.

Walsh came close to extending the lead when he burst past two defenders but his shot flashed wide from 25 yards.

But Dorchester hopes of victory were dashed with 13 minutes remaining when the Saints pulled the scores back to 5-5 when Robinson was penalised for a foul on Roberts and Spring’s free-kick was headed in at the far post by Saints centre-forward, Dillon.

Only a save with his legs by Walker-Harris prevented Spring scoring as St Neots piled on the pressure.

The Magpies could not hold on and it was the hat-trick man, Roberts who supplied the left- wing cross which was met by Mackey, who netted the winner from close range 11 minutes after he had replaced left-back Max York.

Although there were still five minutes remaining plus stoppage time, the Magpies could not carve out a sixth goal of their own and St Neots held on to claim three remarkable points.

St Neots: Bastock, Deeney, York (Mackey 74), Hutton (Wilson 79), Ward, Hoyte, Davies, Spring, Dillon (Cracknell 87), Roberts, Hilliard. Subs not used: Ferrari, Nolan

Magpies: Walker-Harris, Rolls, Oldring, Robinson, Walker, Dillon, Parrett (Gleeson 46), Lanahan, Matthews, Odam, Walsh. Subs not used: Hanger, Murray, Godfrey, Brookes

Referee: James Turner

Bookings: St Neots – Bastock (foul, 31), Hilliard (foul, 66), Dillon (dissent, 68)

Dorchester – None

Attendance: 292