DORCHESTER TOWN 3 ARLESEY 1

A REVITALISED Dorchester Town side secured back-to-back wins for the first time under new boss Mark Jermyn, as a Nathan Walker brace helped see off Arlesey at the Avenue.

Ben Watson also found the net for the Magpies in a match the hosts knew they could not afford to lose in their battle to stay in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division.

Player-manager Jermyn kept faith with the side that started the win at Hungerford on the weekend, with the only change to the squad coming on the bench where Kieron Parrett replaced Oakley Hanger.

The hosts began the game on the front foot and nearly went ahead four minutes in when Watson rounded Arlesey keeper Nick Thompson and struck a post from a very acute angle.

Walker then glanced a header just wide from a long Chris Dillon throw, before Bradley Tar-buck went close with a left-foot drive. And, after Thompson got down low to deal with a Jake Smeeton free-kick, Dorchester’s bright start was rewarded on 13 minutes.

Sam Lanahan slid a precise through ball into the path of Watson and the striker produced an assured finish to score past Thompson.

The hosts were given a scare five minutes later when Hallelujah Basmel’s shot deflected off Walker and on to an up-right before being cleared.

But it could well have been 2-0 to the county town side had Thompson not saved from Watson following a surge downfield by Portsmouth loanee Tarbuck, who was making his home debut for the Magpies.

Other than Basmel hitting the woodwork and Martel Powell forcing a decent save from Alan Walker-Harris, the visitors had little to offer in the first half.

Jermyn and his men would have probably felt hard done by if they had gone into the interval only one goal to the good – but that wasn’t what happened.

A Tarbuck cut back found Walker in space inside the Arlesey box, and after his first attempt was blocked, the defender-turned-forward buried the rebound.

The only negative to come out of the first period for the hosts was Lewis Morgan’s booking following a rash challenge on Powell.

Like the first half, the Magpies started the second 45 minutes by hitting the woodwork.

This time it was Tarbuck who shrugged off his marker and whipped in a shot that caught the far post.

Dan Smith’s presence on the right wing became more noticeable as the game went on and his cross over the onrushing Thompson was almost turned into his own net by Warren Plowright.

A third goal would have really made the game safe for the home side and it duly arrived on the hour, Walker climbing highest to nod in Smith’s corner.

There was very little to get excited about during the next 20 minutes, then Arlesey were given a lifeline with seven minutes left.

George Ironton scored from the spot after substitute Leon Lobjoit had been brought down in the Magpies’ box.

A few nervy moments for the home side followed but there was to be no dramatic comeback by the visitors.

Magpies: Walker-Harris 6, Lanahan 7 (Murray 73, 6), Tarbuck 7, Jermyn 7, Smeeton 7, Dillon 7, Morgan 7 (Oldring 64, 6), Gleeson 7, Watson 7, Walker 7, Smith 7 (Brookes 75, 5). Subs not used: Parrett, Murphy

Arlesey: Thompson, Longdon, Willett, Plowright, Sage, Vasey (Kelly 46), Powell, Gregson, Forsythe (Lobjoit 50), Basmel (Kegni 69), Ironton. Subs not used: Luther, Enderby

Bookings: Magpies – Morgan (foul, 44) Arlesey – Kelly (foul, 79)

Referee: David Ricketts (Bristol)

Attendance: 223

* Dorchester’s reserve team go to Ringwood Town tonight in the Wyvern Premier Division (7.45pm).