Magpies: Dorchester grounded by Bluebirds

ASHAN Holgate’s first-half double ultimately proved enough for Chippenham at Hardenhuish Park tonight, as the Magpies slipped to a seventh league defeat in eight games.

Nathan Walker did pull a goal back for Dorchester after Holgate had bagged his second, but the visitors couldn’t find an equaliser.

The Magpies, who remain 21st in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division, were in desperate need of a lift in Wiltshire given their dreadful run of late.

Boss Graham Kemp was able to bring new signing Ben Watson and loanee Mason Walsh into his starting line-up after the 3-2 reverse at Chesham last Saturday.

Striker Watson, making his second Dorchester debut having rejoined the club 15 months since the curtain came down on his first spell with the club, partnered Walker up front.

There was no room for Jack Odam in the side as Walker kept his place at centre-forward following a two-goal salvo three days previously.

Unlike Dave Allen, Walsh had recovered from illness to take the number seven jersey, with Jason Brookes and Oakley Hanger the men dropping out of the team.

Experienced midfielder Nick Crittenden couldn’t shake off a back problem, while Kieron Parrett’s ankle injury saw him miss the game too.

After such a rotten run of form – six losses and a draw in their previous seven league outings – the last thing the Magpies wanted was to concede an early goal.

However, that is exactly what happened as the home side took the lead from the penalty spot through Holgate 17 minutes in.

But Kemp’s men responded positively and enjoyed some decent spells of possession, although they couldn’t finish off the chances they created.

The same could be said for Chippenham, but not long before half-time they got the all-important second goal.

Dorchester may have felt slightly aggrieved though, as Holgate found the net from a free-kick when Matt Oldring was off the field receiving treatment for a bloody nose.

Chippenham must have felt they were in an ideal position having doubled their advantage with only a couple of minutes to go before the interval.

But they hadn’t accounted for Walker halving the deficit with a left-foot shot almost immediately after Holgate made it 2-0.

Dorchester, again, had their fare share of the ball in the second period in the hope of finding an equaliser and maybe more.

The only thing lacking was that killer touch in the final third, and not even the introduction of Odam could bring about another leveller.

And to rub salt into the wound, Dan Smith was booked for diving late on as the wideman desperately tried to conjure up some magic.

Beaten for the 10th time in 13 league fixtures, the Magpies know they must find something from somewhere to move out of the bottom three.

And matches don’t come any bigger than Saturday’s encoun-ter with Banbury United, the side just below them in the table.

Chippenham: Kauppinen, McCormack, Beeden, Coupe, Preece, Ferguson, Pook, Holgate, Phillips, Osman. Subs: Smith, Francis, Edwards, Norman, Thompson

Magpies: Murphy, Lanahan, Smeeton, Gleeson, Oldring, Dillon, Walsh, Morgan, Watson, Walker, Smith. Subs: Odam, Brookes, Godfrey, Peart, Walker-Harris.

Referee: Michael Webb

Attendance: 196