DORCHESTER TOWN 2  POOLE TOWN 1

A MOMENT of magic from veteran midfielder Nick Crittenden ensured Dorchester Town enjoyed derby-day delight with a well-earned victory over Poole Town at the Avenue.

The former Yeovil Town and Chelsea man produced a powerful low drive which found the bottom corner to seal the win for the Magpies, who have now taken four points from two games this season against the title-chasing Tatnam outfit.

After experimenting with his squad during the 3-0 defeat against Cambridge City on Saturday, Magpies’ boss Mark Jermyn brought back Jamie Gleeson, Ben Watson and Sam Lanahan to his starting XI as well as assistant Crittenden.

There was also a spot on the Dolphins’ bench for AFC Bournemouth loanee Mason Walsh, who was part of the Avenue set-up earlier in the campaign.

With an early free-kick awarded to the hosts, referee Matthew Rushton gave his first words of warning to both Walker brothers on either side, as their sibling rivalry flared with some pushing in the build-up.

On eight minutes, the Magpies made a perfect start through the returning Watson.

He showed good awareness to nip in behind his defender when Gleeson’s delivery into the area eventually fell to him, and the county town hitman made no mistake in drawing first blood with a clever lofted finish.

The lead was short-lived for the Magpies however, as former Weymouth wide man Luke Burbidge latched on to Cherries’ loanee Joe Quigley’s flick on, and powered the ball with his head past a sprawling Alan Walker-Harris to level things up three minutes later.

Burbidge then caused the hosts more problems as he burst down the right and flashed a dangerous ball across the box which was left untouched.

In an eventful opening 20 minutes, the Magpies then clipped the crossbar.

After good work down the right from Portsmouth loanee Bradley Tarbuck, his cross found Lewis Morgan, whose glancing header skimmed the woodwork but the effort was flagged offside.

Former Dorchester midfielder Steve Devlin, returning to the Avenue as a Poole player, then saw his strike at goal deflect off a defender into the path of Will Spetch, and his first-time effort struck the outside of a post with Walker-Harris stranded.

Chances at both ends continued to flow as Crittenden turned away in frustration when his low drive from the edge of the area was deflected inches wide. Poole’s Quigley then headed marginally over after rising highest from Devlin’s corner.

Morgan then missed a golden chance to make it 2-1 to Jermyn’s men when he raced on to a through ball and steered inches wide when clean through, as the Magpies finished the opening period strongly.

And after picking up where they left off after the break, it was Crittenden who restored the home side’s advantage with a thumping effort.

He picked the ball up from a cleared corner, got the ball out of his feet and dispatched a low fizzer from 25 yards into the bottom corner.

The experienced winger was then replaced by Dan Smith and received a warm ovation from the home crowd as he left the field.

The Magpies then lost Mark Irvine to injury with just more than 20 minutes to go and he was replaced by Jason Brookes.

Bookings then followed for skipper Jake Smeeton and Nathan Walker, and Devlin’s daisy-cutter trickled wide of the mark through a host of bodies as Poole turned up the pressure.

Replacement Brookes then could have put daylight between the sides when he tried to catch out Poole goalkeeper Nick Hutchings, and Devlin sent another effort into the visiting fans behind Walker-Harris’ goal.

Michael Walker and Poole substitute Richard Gillespie then both failed to make contact from a dangerous delivery from the left in the latter minutes as the Magpies held on resolutely to seal the spoils.

Magpies: Walker-Harris, Lanahan, Smeeton, Morgan, N Walker, Dillon, Tarbuck (Murray 90+1), Gleeson, Watson, Irvine (Brookes 68), Crittenden (Smith 63). Subs not used: Horsburgh, Godfrey

Poole: Hutchings, Lindsay, Spetch (Butcher 63), M Walker, Whisken, Pettefer, Burbidge, Devlin, Quigley, Roberts (Gillespie 53), Gilkes (Emmerson 63). Subs not used: Lowes, Walsh

Bookings: Magpies – Smeeton (foul, 73) N Walker (foul, 79)

Poole Town: Roberts (deliberate handball, 48)

Referee: Matthew Rushton (Pewsey)

Attendance: 824

  • Before the contest, the teams observed a minute’s silence for the late Stacey Legge.