BIGGLESWADE TOWN 1

Hall 23

DORCHESTER TOWN 1

Pope 39

DORCHESTER Town finished their 2017/18 Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division season with an uneventful 1-1 draw against Biggleswade Town at Langford Road.

After a hectic spell of pressure the Waders took the lead midway through the first half when Connor Hall fired home from a Craig Daniel pass.

Ash Pope then grabbed his sixth goal in a Dorchester shirt in the run up to half-time when converting Dom Panesar-Dower’s pass.

In a dour second period, Biggleswade came closest to winning with Robbie Parker’s rasping shot striking the bar.

Dorchester remained unchanged from the 0-0 draw at Hitchin Town last time out, with Jason Brookes the only absentee from the matchday squad.

The Magpies could only name three subs, with dynamic midfielder Luke Winsper again deemed unfit to play any part due to an ankle injury, while centre-back Callum Rose also failed to recover from knee tendonitis in time.

Biggleswade were set for an emotional afternoon after their manager of 12 years, Chris Nunn, announced his intention to step down at the end of the season.

And the Waders started nervously, having to clear a Dorchester corner before seeing Jack Bowen send a cross beyond the reach of a team-mate.

Both sides, who had little else but points to play for, understandably contested an eventless opening 20 minutes, but the Waders suddenly launched into a spell of sustained pressure that ultimately put them ahead.

Biggleswade captain Daniel was the first to register a shot on target, testing Magpies’ skipper Chris Weale with a shot inside the area, before a swinging Lucas Perry cross was nodded narrowly wide by Hall.

But, just minutes after Bowen dragged a shot wide of Weale’s uprights, the Waders took the lead by capitalising on a defensive error as Daniel picked out Hall who took his time before shooting past Weale into the top corner.

It took until just past the half-hour mark for Dorchester to respond with their first major chance, as Aaron Rodriguez raided down the left before supplying Antonio Diaz, who tested home keeper Patrick Sinfield and earned a corner, only to see the hosts clear.

Dorchester persevered though, and a well-worked move ended with Panesar-Dower finding Pope, who bent a shot over Sinfield into the top corner to level the scores at half-time.

In a sleepy start to the second half Biggleswade managed to create the first shot at goal through Tony Burnett, before Dorchester’s Pope led an attack and earned a free-kick after being hauled down by a Waders defender, only to see the hosts clear their lines from the set-piece.

Bowen then sent in another wayward attempt before Magpies’ boss Steve Thompson made two attacking changes, bringing off Pope and Billy Lowes for Alex Stafie and Tom Blair.

Blair picked up a knock, necessitating treatment off the field, but returned to the field of play without referee Gareth Davis’ permission, earning himself a soft yellow card.

Biggleswade might have snatched the win in the closing minutes when Parker smashed an effort against the bar, but both teams had to settle for a share of the points, rounding off their seasons with a positive result.

Biggleswade: Sinfield, Hicks, Perry, Fielding, Daniel, Hoyte, Kaziboni (Bailey 46), Hall, Bowen, Parker, Burnett (Brooks 75). Subs not used: Coulson, Stalham, Buchanan

Magpies: Weale, Egan, Griggs, Martin, Carmichael, Clarke, Rodriguez (Bastick 82), Lowes (Blair 73), Pope (Stafie 73), Diaz, Panesar-Dower.

Referee: Gareth Davis

Attendance: 159